MINNEAPOLIS — Record-setting warm and windy weather has heightened the risk of fire for dozens of Minnesota counties, resulting in an expanded Red Flag warning for Thursday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the Red Flag warning for 31 counties in central, southwest and southeast Minnesota effective Thursday, April 13 due to extreme fire risk conditions. Those counties include a handful in the greater Twin Cities metro area.
For Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Jackson, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Nobles, Ramsey, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, Washington and Watonwan counties, the Red Flag warning takes effect at 11 a.m., and expires at 8 p.m.
Residents of Dodge, Filmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties are under the warning from noon until 8 p.m.
Under Red Flag conditions a wildfire can spread quickly and get out of control. Those conditions, which large portions of Minnesota are currently experiencing, include low humidity, gusty winds and warm temperatures. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says residents should not burn in counties where a Red Flag Warning is in effect, and are urged to check any recent burning they may have done to ensure the fire or remaining embers are completely out.
The DNR will not issue or activate open burning permits during the Red Flag Warning, and campfires are discouraged.
“Any spark could become a wildfire under Red Flag conditions,” said Allissa Reynolds, DNR wildfire prevention supervisor.
For more on fire risks and current open burning restrictions check out the DNR website.
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