Heat, wildfires and smoke make for hazardous weather across Minnesota Wednesday

Wednesday will be another dangerously hot day in Minnesota as wildfires continue to burn and air quality concerns linger.

Highs will be in the lower 90s, with heat index values near 100. An extreme heat warning and NEXT Weather Alert remain in place through Thursday evening.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has also issued an air quality alert for much of the state. That's set to expire on Friday at 11 a.m., but the agency said it may be extended. Smoke from fires in the Arrowhead, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and southern Canada will inundate a large swath of the state, with northeastern Minnesota seeing the worst effects.

Wildfires are still burning in Superior National Forest, and though no red flag warning is in place, the National Weather Service said "near critical fire weather conditions" may occur on Wednesday. Gov. Tim Walz is set to receive an update on the fires Wednesday morning, and may extend the peacetime emergency he previously declared.

Heat and poor air quality will remain the primary concerns on Thursday.

Friday will still be hot, with only a slight chance of an isolated shower in western Wisconsin. 

Over the weekend, temperatures will ease slightly into the upper 80s and lower 90s, with mainly dry conditions continuing.