Fire danger high during dry fall

The National Weather Service issued a "Red Flag Warning" this week for 39 counties in central, northeast, northwest, and southwest Minnesota due to extreme fire danger. The warning means fires can spread quickly and easily progress out of control under dry and windy weather conditions. Burning any materials is not advised under the warning. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will not issue or activate open burning permits for large vegetative debris burning during a Red Flag Warning, and campfires are discouraged.

"When fire risk is this high, it's important to be careful with anything that could spark a wildfire," said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.

The warnings are evolving situations and the weather service provides updates at weather.gov.