Amid all this flooding, how can our fire danger risk be so high?
MINNEAPOLIS -- Despite all of our snowmelt and ongoing flooding, fire danger is high around parts of the Twin Cities right now.
On Tuesday, a large brush fire sparked in Lino Lakes. The flames burned through nearly 65 acres and forced some families to evacuate.
With rivers high and communities worried about flooding, how can it be that we are now entering spring wildfire season?
Allissa Reynolds, wildfire prevention supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, says all those fuels that are vulnerable to burning are now unlocked from the winter snow.
"In Minnesota, in the spring especially, our fire season is really driven by those dry fuels that are left over from the previous growing season. So when the snow melts, all that brown grass, those dry leaves, things like that, all those things are exposed again," Reynolds said.
Dry fuels are essentially old, ready to burn vegetation. And this time of the season is in jeopardy until growth returns.
"Our fire danger is most pronounced in the spring before the grasses green up and the new leaves come out. Before the new vegetation emerges, that is when we have our highest fire risk," Reynolds said.
But it's not just the vegetation to blame; you can blame it on the weather.
"Three factors -- the humidity, the temperature, and the wind -- really increase the risk," Reynolds said.
Think of it as the fire weather trifecta, which is exactly what is causing high fire dangers this week. And the DNR wants to remind residents that these dry fuels can burn quickly and spread swiftly.
"That fine dead fuel, it responds really well to changing conditions. In fact, within an hour those grasses can dry out. You can have rain or snow in the morning, but an hour or two later that dries and is ready to burn," Reynolds said.
If you want to burn yard debris make sure you get a burning permit. When you activate that permit, you will be alerted to fire dangers.
