WCCO has been reporting for weeks about the impacts of the northeastern Minnesota wildfires on the ground and in the air, but new research shows it could also impact the state's waterways.

Surface smoke could impact part of Minnesota beginning Thursday, and with fires burning out of control in Canada, it could be a smoky summer in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued air quality alert for Saturday-Sunday as Canadian wildfire smoke creates red AQI levels affecting multiple regions.

A Manitoba-wide state of emergency was declared because of the wildfires in the north, east, and western parts of Manitoba.

Officials are warning about smoke from Canadian wildfires heading toward the central United States, with parts of Canada under a state of emergency due to raging fires. The smoke is expected to affect North Dakota,

University of Minnesota researchers say the massive northland Wildfires this month are leading to murkier water and more questions.

How acute those become could be determined by the smoke’s elevation in the atmosphere. At lower levels it can not only cause breathing difficulties but also impair driving visibility. When remaining high, the haze actually leads to vibrant sunrises and sunsets.

Gov. Tim Walz was joined by leaders of both the DNR, the Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service to also discuss the fire situation and outlook across the state.