MPCA predicting a less severe summer for drought, wildfires and smoke

Featured photo: The shores of Lake Bemidji on July 21, 2021, covered in a haze from wildfire smoke.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is predicting a less severe season compared to last summer as far as air quality, drought and wildfires are concerned.

The MPCA’s Nick Witcraft explained in a Tuesday virtual press conference that Canada and the western US will have abnormally dry conditions with an above-normal wildfire season, which will impact Minnesota.

Drought in northern Minnesota is expected to be around normal.

Southern Minnesota may still experience an above-average drought this year.


Larissa Donovan was the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and has been, almost without interruption, since Election Day 2016, through July 2023. She covered all the beats in north-central Minnesota, such as local government, crime, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University. You can follow along with Larissa's live tweets of meetings and events on Twitter!


© 2020 HBI Radio Bemidji, LLC d/b/a Paul Bunyan Broadcasting 502 Beltrami Ave NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area