Red flag warning extended in southern Minnesota due to extreme fire risk
MINNEAPOLIS — Strong winds and low relative humidity have prompted weather officials to issue a red flag warning due to "extreme fire risk" in southwestern and south-central Minnesota.
According to the National Weather Service, the alert is effective Wednesday from noon through 6 p.m. for the following counties: Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac que Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Rock, Pope, Stevens, Swift, Traverse and Yellow Medicine.
NWS later added 14 counties to the red flag warning: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Le Sueur, Watonwan, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Nobles, Redwood, Renville and Sibley. Alerts in these counties also end at 6 p.m.
Residents in the listed counties are advised not to burn and to check any recent fires to make sure they are completely out.
RELATED: How to protect your home from the threat of wildfires
A red flag warning is issued in areas where "fire can spread quickly and easily progress out of control" under the expected weather conditions, the NWS said.
Campfires are discouraged and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will not be issuing or activating any open burning permits for large vegetative debris during the alert.
Red Flag Warning issued in western and southwest MN. Counties across central and southern MN will experience elevated fire risk today too, due to low relative humidity and strong winds. Don't burn and use caution with anything that can cause a spark! https://t.co/gXYJ4UkN1H pic.twitter.com/cDKxCPplbt
— Minnesota Forestry (@mnforestry) March 6, 2024
"Embers can be carried for over a mile in high winds like this. People should use extreme caution until conditions improve," Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist, said.
On Sunday, a large wildfire in Waseca burned nearly 2,000 acres — mostly grassland — before being contained. Three people were injured. While multiple residents were evacuated, no structures were damaged or destroyed. A red flag warning was in effect at the time for a large portion of southern Minnesota, including Waseca.
The National Interstate Fire Center has released data that shows Minnesota and northern Wisconsin will have an increased risk for wildfires this spring.