Officials are monitoring the air quality in the Becker area as a fire at a metal recycling plant continues to burn for a third consecutive day.

The fire at the Northern Metals plant in Becker is unleashing noxious, billowing smoke as firefighters continue to work to extinguish the blaze. Police report that fire investigators believe the fire could last several more days after they determined that the best course of action moving forward was to let a portion of the burning vehicle stack to let itself burn out.

Residents are not being asked to evacuate but are being asked to stay away from the immediate area of the fire. School officials have also closed classes in the area as well.

Concerning the environment, testing has been done on storm water at the site, and a third party has come in to perform additional testing and analysis of air samples. There is currently no concern about contamination from firefighting water runoff according to the state.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.