Air quality alert issued in Minnesota [Video]

ST PAUL, Minn. — An orange air quality alert has been issued, meaning people sensitive to poor air quality are encouraged to limit the time spent outside.  

Wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have forced thousands to flee their homes, with smoke covering the skies in the Midwest and beyond. 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued the alert until 11 p.m. Thursday. The affected area includes the Twin Cities metro area, Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Hinckley, St. Cloud, Ortonville, Mankato, Moorhead, Duluth, and the Tribal Nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Prairie Island, Leech Lake, and Fond du Lac. 

An orange air quality alert means the sky will look hazy and you might be able to smell smoke. The air is unhealthy for people sensitive to poor air quality, and could aggravate heart and lung disease as well as cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. The fine particles from the …