Dozens of central and southern Minnesota counties are at higher risk of fire this weekend due to windy and dry conditions.
Weather Service, DNR warn of extreme fire risk in 41 Minnesota counties
The red flag warning Saturday affects counties in central and southern Minnesota.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 16, 2024 at 7:04PM
According to a National Weather Service warning issued Saturday, 41 counties in Minnesota are under a red flag warning for extreme fire risk. Because weather conditions are dry with low humidity and strong winds, fires can spread quickly out of control.
“When fire risk is this high, it’s important to be careful with anything [that] could spark a wildfire,” said Karen Harrison, a wildfire prevention specialist with the Department of Natural Resources, in a statement.
The Weather Service warning was scheduled to run from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday.
Counties in the warning area include Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Waseca, Watonwan, Wright and Yellow Medicine.
The DNR advises residents not to burn in those counties, and is asking those who recently burned to ensure the fire is out. Campfires are also discouraged, and officials will not issue or activate open burning permits for “large vegetative debris” while the red flag warning is in effect.
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