Red flag warning issued for much of Minnesota on Monday
ST. PAUL — After one of the hottest and driest Septembers ever seen in Minnesota, the month will simply not go away without potential trouble.
Hot, dry and windy conditions throughout large parts of the state have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for 39 counties at various times Monday.
Starting as early as 7 a.m., there is an extreme risk of fire danger in the following counties: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Big Stone, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Meeker, Morrison, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Renville, Redwood, Rock, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Todd, Wadena, Wilkin and Yellow Medicine.
The warnings stay in effect until high winds are expected to dissipate after 8 p.m.
A red flag warning means fires can spread quickly and easily progress out of control under the predicted weather conditions, including gusty winds and low relative humidity.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources advises no open fires in counties where a red flag warning is in effect and advises people to check any recent burning to ensure the fire is completely out. The DNR will not issue or activate open burning permits for large vegetative debris burning during the red flag warning, and campfires are discouraged.
"When fire risk is this high it's important to be careful with anything which could spark a wildfire," Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist, said in a news release.
September has been notably hot and dry statewide, with the DNR noting high temperatures in the 80s on most days and in most places, with little contrast between the northern and southern regions of Minnesota. Between Sept. 9-21, all of the DNR's reporting stations recorded at least six days with a high temperature of 80 or higher, with a few stations in southwestern Minnesota topping 90.
