MPCA warns warm, dry summer could bring wildfire smoke to Beltrami County

A warm, dry summer could put wildfire smoke back over Beltrami County for days at a time, changing how families plan lake trips, how crews work outside and how long children can stay active indoors and out.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in its May 7 outlook that Minnesota is likely to see 12 to 16 days of wildfire smoke impacts this summer and four to six days when ozone could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. The agency said this year’s air quality conditions should look similar to 2024, with a strong El Niño southern oscillation cycle pointing to warmer, drier weather punctuated by storms. MPCA meteorologist Matt Taraldsen said Minnesotans should stay "air-aware" so they can reschedule runs, protect children with asthma or delay outdoor chores before smoke settles in.

The ozone danger is expected to be highest in the Twin Cities suburbs and parts of southeastern Minnesota near Rochester, but smoke is a statewide problem. The Minnesota Department of Health says wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, throat and lungs and raise the risk of heart-related harms. Outdoor workers, children, older adults, pregnant people and people with heart or lung conditions are at higher risk, and the Minnesota Department of Health has also created optional guidance for schools and child care centers on when to modify outdoor activities.

Beltrami County has already had a close look at what fire weather can mean. On May 13, 2025, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued a Red Flag Warning for 65 counties, including Beltrami County, and said it would not issue or activate open-burning permits while campfires were strongly discouraged because low humidity, gusty winds and dry fuels could let fires spread quickly. Later that month, Canadian wildfire smoke triggered a statewide air quality alert, and red alerts were posted for northern Minnesota communities including Bemidji and the Tribal Nations of Leech Lake and Red Lake.

The MPCA also said underground fires from 2025, especially in Canada, could re-emerge this year, something Taraldsen said happened between 2023 and 2024. The agency added PM10 dust alerts in 2025 and expects blow-dust events about once every two years. Beltrami County’s hazard mitigation plan update already identifies wildfire and drought as local hazards, a reminder that smoke season is not a distant problem here, but a summer risk that can hit the air, the roads and the people who spend the most time outside.