ST PAUL, Minn. — A third consecutive day with warm, dry and low-humidity conditions is triggering a Red Flag Warning that stretches from border to border across Minnesota.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the warning from noon to 8 p.m. for counties from south to north and east to west. A Red Flag Warning means the risk for fire is extreme, and if start, they can spread rapidly and quickly get out-of-control.
Tuesday's forecast calls for warmer temps, low humidity and strong, gusty winds, and dead foliage that has not greened-up provides plenty of fuel for potential wildfires.
“Any spark could become a wildfire under Red Flag conditions,” said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist, in a release announcing the warnings.
Counties impacted by Tuesday's Red Flag Warning include: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Ottertail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wright and Yellow Medicine.
DNR fire prevention specialists say there should be no open burning in counties under the Red Flag Warning, and residents should check any recent burn piles to make sure the embers have been extinguished.
Red Flag Warnings are situations that can evolve quickly. KARE 11's news and weather teams will be monitoring the situation and providing the latest updates. If you'd like more on the latest fire risks and open burning restrictions, check out the DNR website.
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