MINNEAPOLIS — A new set of burning restrictions will start overnight for several Minnesota counties.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the new restrictions for the eastern part of Roseau County and all of Beltrami, Cook, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, and St. Louis counties, according to a release sent out Monday afternoon. The restrictions start early Tuesday morning at 12:01 a.m.
This is in addition to the existing restrictions in effect for the counties of Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena.
“The nearly 1,500 wildfires that have occurred in Minnesota since March are more than we typically see in an entire year,” said burning permit coordinator Linda Gormanson. “We want people to keep recreating and enjoying the outdoors, but in ways that reduce the risk of igniting a wildfire.”
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Affected areas must comply with the following restrictions.
- No campfires are allowed for dispersed, remote, or backcountry camping on all lands
- Campfires are allowed only in an established fire ring associated with a home, cabin, campground, or resort
- No fireworks may be ignited on any public or private land outside city limits (check with your municipality for any restrictions within city limits)
- Burning permits will not be issued for brush or yard waste, nor will existing permits be activated
According to the announcement, the burning restrictions will be here to stay until the DNR commissioner determines that environmental conditions allow for 'significant reduction' in fire danger.
For more information on the current restrictions, you may visit the Department of Natural Resources wildfire webpage here.