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AEUS73 KARX 182039
AQAARX
AIR QUALITY ALERT MESSAGE
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
339 PM CDT SAT JUL 18 2026
MNZ079-086>088-094>096-201600-
WABASHA-DODGE-OLMSTED-WINONA-MOWER-FILLMORE-HOUSTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF WABASHA, DODGE CENTER, ROCHESTER, WINONA,
AUSTIN, PRESTON, AND CALEDONIA
339 PM CDT SAT JUL 18 2026
...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM SUNDAY TO 11 AM CDT
MONDAY...
* WHAT...THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY HAS ISSUED AN AIR
QUALITY ALERT FOR FINE PARTICLES POLLUTION. THE AIR QUALITY INDEX
(AQI) IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE RED OR UNHEALTHY CATEGORY.
* WHERE...EAST CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST, SOUTH CENTRAL, AND NORTHEAST
MINNESOTA.
* WHEN...FROM 3 AM CDT SUNDAY UNTIL 11 AM CDT MONDAY.
* IMPACTS...SOME MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY EXPERIENCE HEALTH
EFFECTS. SENSITIVE GROUPS, SUCH AS PEOPLE WITH LUNG DISEASE (INCLUDING
ASTHMA), HEART DISEASE, AND CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS, MAY
EXPERIENCE HEALTH EFFECTS.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...HEAVY SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES WILL PERSIST ACROSS
NORTHEAST MINNESOTA TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. INCREASING
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS SUNDAY AFTERNOON WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED AIR QUALITY
FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST MINNESOTA, THOUGH AREAS NEAR THE SHORES OF
LAKE SUPERIOR AND THE WILDFIRES THEMSELVES MAY CONTINUE TO
EXPERIENCE POOR AIR QUALITY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE ALERT FOR
THIS PART OF THE STATE IS CURRENTLY SET TO EXPIRE AT 7 P.M. SUNDAY.
ONLY LOCALIZED POOR AIR QUALITY NEAR THE WILDFIRES WILL CONTINUE
THEREAFTER. HEAVY SMOKE IS EXPECTED TO THEN ENTER SOUTHEASTERN AND
FAR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FROM THE EAST EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AND
PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. RED, MEANING UNHEALTHY FOR
EVERYONE, IS THE EXPECTED AQI CATEGORY FOR ALL OF THIS ALERT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... SENSITIVE GROUPS, SUCH AS
PEOPLE WITH LUNG DISEASE (INCLUDING ASTHMA), HEART DISEASE, AND
CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS, SHOULD AVOID PROLONGED OR HEAVY EXERTION.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD LIMIT PROLONGED OR HEAVY EXERTION. REDUCE
OR ELIMINATE ACTIVITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION, SUCH AS
OUTDOOR BURNING, AND USE OF RESIDENTIAL WOOD BURNING DEVICES. REDUCE
VEHICLE TRIPS AND VEHICLE IDLING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. KEEP WINDOWS
CLOSED OVERNIGHT TO PREVENT SMOKE FROM GETTING INDOORS.
FOR INFORMATION ON CURRENT AIR QUALITY CONDITIONS IN YOUR AREA AND
TO SIGN UP FOR DAILY AIR QUALITY FORECASTS AND ALERT NOTIFICATIONS BY
EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, PHONE, OR THE EPA AIRNOW MOBILE APP, VISIT
HTTPS://WWW.PCA.STATE.MN.US/AIR- WATER-LAND- CLIMATE/CURRENT-AIR-
QUALITY-CONDITIONS. YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH
AND AIR QUALITY AT HTTPS://WWW.PCA.STATE.MN.US/AIR-WATER-LAND-
CLIMATE/AIR-QUALITY- AND-HEALTH. POOR AIR QUALITY CAN IMPACT PETS AND
ANIMALS. MORE INFORMATION REGARDING PET AND ANIMAL SAFETY CAN BE
FOUND AT HTTPS://WWW.EPA.GOV/SYSTEM/FILES/DOCUMENTS/2026-06/PROTECT-
YOUR- PETS-FACTSHEET.PDF AND HTTPS://WWW.AVMA.ORG/RESOURCES/PET-
OWNERS/EMERGENCYCARE/WILDFIRE-SMOKE-AND-ANIMALS.
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