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Extreme fire danger continues

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for 80 counties in Minnesota effective today, May 12, due to extreme fire risk conditions. 

Affected counties include Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago,, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.

A Red Flag Warning means fires can spread quickly and grow out of control under current and predicted weather conditions, including gusty winds and low relative humidity. Residents should not burn in counties where a Red Flag Warning is in effect and should check any recent burning they might have done to ensure the fire is completely out.

The DNR will not issue or activate open burning permits for large vegetative debris burning during the Red Flag Warning, and campfires are discouraged. 

Screenshot from the National Weather Service showing 80 counties with Red Flag Warnings on May 12.

Stay Vigilant

In these conditions, any spark could start a wildfire.

While there is no Red Flag Warning in the seven southeast counties, fire danger is extreme, and the National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for near-critical fire danger. 

Red Flag Warnings are evolving situations. Visit the National Weather Service (weather.gov) for more information and updates.  

For more information and daily updates on current fire risk and open burning restrictions, visit the statewide fire danger and burning restrictions page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/burnrestrictions). To receive text updates on current wildfire risk and open burning restrictions in Minnesota text “FIRE” to 66468. 

Fire danger map from May 11.