Red Flag Warning and burning restrictions issued

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning starting Sunday, November 6, 2022, at noon and extending until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday for multiple counties in Central and Southern Minnesota due to extreme fire risk conditions. The affected counties are:

Anoka, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wright, and Yellow Medicine

A Red Flag Warning means the area is experiencing weather conditions that are ideal for wildfire, including strong winds and very low humidity levels. Residents should avoid open burning in counties where the Red Flag Warning is in effect and check any recent burn piles or areas to ensure the fire is completely out.

In addition to the Red Flag Warning, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is restricting open burning in a larger geographic area. The burning restrictions apply in the following counties:

Anoka, Aitkin, Becker, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Cottonwood, Crow Wing Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Isanti, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Meeker, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pine, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, South St. Louis, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine

The DNR will not issue permits for open burning of brush or yard waste in these counties until the burning restrictions are lifted. Residents should also take care with backyard campfires

?Extreme drought conditions in combination with dry fall vegetation, low humidity, and wind make for dangerous fire conditions,? said Allissa Reynolds, DNR wildfire prevention supervisor. ?Restricting open burning prevents a burn pile from escaping and becoming a wildfire.?

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).

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