Minnesota Under Red Flag Warning For Fire Risk
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The entire state of Minnesota is under a red flag warning Wednesday.
The fire danger is extreme because of warm, windy and dry weather. Gov. Mark Dayton is authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to help fight wildfires.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says several fires sparked throughout the state Wednesday.
A fire started in Gully in northwestern Minnesota, and a state trooper came across a grass fire in Ashby.
Multiple fire departments battled a fire in Eagan caused by woman who threw a cigarette butt from her car window, which blew back inside and ignited her vehicle.
The fire then spread to nearby grass, burning two acres of land in the process.
DNR Wildfire Prevention Supervisor Linda Gormanson says conditions are perfect for fires to cause big problems across the state.
"If you've got any spark that's going to start, the fire is going to really move rapidly and you're going to have really strong, high fire behavior," Gormanson said.
Burning permits are not being issued in the state.
If you've burned debris or had a fire in a fire pit the past few days, the DNR recommends checking to make sure all the embers are out.