For a second day, high winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warnng from noon through 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, due to extreme fire risk conditions.
This warning is for the majority of Minnesota, including Cass and Crow Wing counties. No open burning is allowed in either county, or across much of the state.
Fire danger is very high, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, meaning fires start easily and spread at a very fast rate. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
A Red Flag Warning means fires can spread quickly and easily progress out of control under the current weather conditions, including gusty winds and low humidity.
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Residents should not burn in those counties where a Red Flag Warning is in effect and should check any recent burning they may have done to ensure the fire is completely out.
The Department of Natural Resources will not issue or activate open burning permits during the Red Flag Warning, and campfires are discouraged. Any spark could lead to a wildfire, the DNR says.
Other affected counties include Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Clearwater, Cottonwood, 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.
Red Flag Warnings are evolving situations. Visit the National Weather Service at weather.gov for 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 at mndnr.gov/burnrestrictions .
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