Smoke returns to the Red River Valley

Wildfire smoke from Canada will likely continue to impact air quality across the region.

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality advises residents, especially those with respiratory conditions, to consider limiting prolonged outdoor activities while smoky conditions persist.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for fine particle pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to reach the Orange or Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category.

KNOX Staff Meteorologist Mark Ewens says a band of smoke several hundred miles wide will spread over the region for a few days before it starts to dissipate.

According to the Canadian Interagency Fire Center there are currently 461 active fires north of the border – nearly 240 are still burning out of control. The fires have burned some 12.5 million acres this year.