A second wonderful evening without wood smoke! The temperature again was a record for the Twin Cities. The official temperature was 93 degrees at 5:00 PM, according to the news. I measured the temperature at 88 degrees at 8 PM here in North St. Paul. The winds were very strong. It was too hot and windy for many to have recreational bonfires.
Nobody burning
At 8 PM, I went cruising around the northern half of the city. I didn't go down every road. I was mainly looking for pockets of smoky air. I found none. Nobody was burning wood. The air was fresh and loaded with floral essences everywhere I went.
Burning will return
Do not worry, wood smoke pollution will soon return to this city when the temperature drops back to normal. On my short journey through the city this evening, I saw three fire pits loaded with wood and branches just waiting to be ignited. The recreational burners are locked and loaded and ready to pollute the air with wood smoke as soon as possible. And what a great way to dispose of yard waste like tree branches. The branches go from their yard, up into smoke, and right into the lungs of every resident downwind.