Minnesotans face health impacts as wildfire smoke lingers

MINNEAPOLIS — City skylines have become hazy this week as wildfire smoke drifts over Minnesota. The smoky air is more than just an inconvenience—it is affecting the health of many Minnesotans, especially children and those with existing respiratory conditions.  

Dr. Dorothy Curran, a pediatric pulmonologist at Hennepin Health, said her clinic has seen a rise in respiratory concerns.  

“We definitely saw an uptick in phone calls to our pulmonary nurse line, especially from kids who have underlying asthma or respiratory needs,” Dr. Curran said.

Preliminary research from the Minnesota Department of Health indicates an increase in emergency room visits from children and others facing respiratory issues due to the elevated levels of fine particulate matter found in wildfire smoke.  

“These really fine particles travel deep down the respiratory tract to the base of our lungs, and cause swelling,” Dr. Curran said. 

Some particles can even pass from the lungs into the bloodstream, worsening existing health problems or triggering respiratory conditions in previously healthy individuals.

Health officials urge vulnerable groups, including children, older adults, and those with lung or heart conditions, to limit time outdoors when air quality is poor. 

However, not everyone has that option. Erik Scherado, a concrete finisher and LIUNA Local 363 member in Minneapolis, works outside year-round. 

“We’re outside in all different conditions, from the middle of winter to the middle of summer,” Scherado said. 

Though he admits he hasn’t given much thought to long-term health effects, Scherado emphasizes the importance of the work: “A job needs to get done, and we’re here to do it.”

Dr. Curran emphasized the need for ongoing research into how repeated summer exposures to wildfire smoke impact the long-term respiratory health of Minnesotans. 

“We already know that pollution can increase respiratory conditions,” Dr. Curran said. “In children exposed to pollution, higher rates of asthma are seen, particularly in neighborhoods with elevated pollution levels.”