The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for several counties in parts of northwest and west central Minnesota effective noon-8 p.m. Monday, May 1, due to extreme fire risk conditions.
Affected counties include Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Wadena and Wilkin.
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. 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 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 Karen Harrison, Minnesota DNR wildfire prevention specialist, in a news release.
Red flag warnings are evolving situations. Visit the National Weather Service’s website at weather.gov for updates.
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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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