ST. PAUL — Many Minnesotans look forward to walks and runs in the state’s parks and trails this time of year, but wildfires in Canada have meant smoky skies over the past few days.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air quality alert for much of state until midday Wednesday. Air quality is expected to be unhealthy for all groups in the Twin Cities, very unhealthy in northern Minnesota, including Brainerd and Bemidji, and hazardous in far northwestern Minnesota, according to the MPCA.

To find out what that means for your evening jog, MPR News host Catharine Richert spoke with Daniel Craighead, an assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota.

The transcript below has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Is it really that bad to go o

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