* 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. All of northwestern and north central Minnesota. * WHEN. Until 8AM 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. A band of very heavy smoke from wildfires in northeast British Columbia has moved into northern Minnesota and will sweep south across the state on Sunday behind a cold front. Smoke has already arrived over much of northwestern Minnesota and will persist overnight. The time of maximum smoke impacts will be through late Sunday evening.

Relative humidity values will drop to 20 to 25 percent this afternoon. Southwest winds are expected to range from 10 to 20 mph with gusts to near 25 mph. Given the extremely dry fuels, near critical fire weather conditions are expected through the afternoon. Any fire that does develop has the potential to quickly spread. For more information on burning restrictions for Minnesota, see www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html