Although the wildfires burning across the Canadian border are hundreds of miles from Cook County, the effects are being felt along the North Shore. According to U.S. Forest Service fire officials, fire indices in Minnesota are extremely low and a wildfire on this side of the border is unlikely. However, according to the Grand Portage Trust Land air quality monitoring station, haze and particulate matter levels have reached levels potentially dangerous to individuals with respiratory illnesses in recent days.
Air quality being watched
Trust Lands Air Quality Specialist Yvette Chenaux is the person watching air quality in Grand Portage and she said that normally the air quality in the Arrowhead Region is excellent. Trust Lands has been monitoring air quality in Grand Portage since 2003.
Other fires, such as the Cavity Lake Fire in 2006 and the Ham Lake Fire in 2007, have brought air quality concerns, but Chenaux said none of the readings have been as high as those from the current fires in Northwestern Ontario. Chenaux said air quality was at its worst on Tuesday, July 19. An air quality advisory was issued which warned that particulates in the air could have negative impacts on young children, elders and those with asthma or respiratory illness. Levels eventually spiked to levels at which everyone could experience health effects and sensitive individuals could experience serious health effects.
Fortunately the rain that fell in Cook County overnight helped immensely and in a phone conversation at press time on Wednesday, July 20, Chenaux said, “The air quality is great today, due to the rain and winds that washed the particulates out of the air.”
However, as the fires in Canada continue to burn, the poor air quality could return. Chenaux suggests that anyone with respiratory concerns track the air quality at the Trust Lands Breathe the Air Internet blog to find out what the levels are and to learn what sort of precautions should be taken. You can find the blog at http:// gpairquality. blogspot.com/. Anyone who would like to talk to Chenaux directly may call her at (218) 475-2027.
Fire danger very low in Minnesota
Although forest fires are spiraling out of control in Northeastern Ontario, different weather patterns in Northeastern Minnesota have brought very little fire concern. Contacted on Wednesday, July 20, Patty Johnson, a fuels management specialist with the U.S. Forest Service Superior National Forest said, “We are really wet right now. All indications are that we will not have a fire season.”
However, Johnson stressed that always conditions could change and forest visitors should follow all the usual fire precautions. “There is so much moisture in the duff right now that it would take a long time to dry out. But it could happen.”
Help for Canada?
Sadly, the Canadian situation is very different. According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), 20 new fires were reported on July 20, bringing the total number of fires burning in the province to 112. The report said the new fires have already been demonstrating extreme fire behavior as cloud cover the previous day did not last long, temperatures are climbing, and winds remain strong. The fires cover over 300,000 hectares to date. Approximately 2,000 people have been evacuated from fire zones and areas of heavy smoke.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has 117 aircraft aloft, including 14 water bombers and 80 helicopters. In addition to over 350 ministry firefighters, an additional 500 rangers from other provinces are engaged in the control and suppression efforts.
To date, Canada has not asked for help from the U.S. Forest Service or Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
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