St. Paul has worst air in the U.S. due to Canadian wildfire smoke
June 15, 2023 11:38AM CDT
@ap.news Haze envelopes the Minneapolis skyline from smoke drifted over from the wildfires in Canada, Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in Minneapolis. An air quality alert has been issued for some parts of Minnesota. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — St. Paul, has the worst air quality in the United States as smoke from massive Canadian wildfires drifts across Minnesota.
It comes a week after similar smoke blanketed the northeastern U.S. The Star-Tribune reported the smoke was also “near the worst” on record for the Twin Cities. Air quality hit “red” on the U.S. government’s color-coded index, meaning it was unhealthy for everyone. But the air was particularly dangerous for children, older people, and those with asthma and conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
The U.S. government air quality website AirNow.gov says St. Paul had an air quality index reading of 256 at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
