Increased fire risk for much of Minnesota during dry, hot weekend

Large portions of Minnesota are under high or very high risk for wildfires on Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11.

61 counties in the state are under a Fire Weather Watch from the National Weather Service on Sunday.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the potential for fires could last until next week.

“We’re expecting a pretty significant amount of fire potential from really now through sometime midweek, which is when the next best signal for any appreciable precipitation is in the forecast,” said Travis Verdegan, a predictive services coordinator with the DNR.

Anyone who will want to have a campfire or enjoy a shore lunch with the beginning of the fishing season should do so with safety in mind and should be prepared to put out their fire at any moment.

“With a lot of people out fishing this weekend, shore lunches are a common thing. That’s not something I would recommend unless you’re able to do it and in a kind of a manicured setting, so maybe at the boat launch or a park or something to that effect,” says Verdegan.

Some other safety tips include securing trailer chains to ensure they don’t cause sparks, be mindful when using lawnmowers and weed whips, tractors, and other lawn equipment, and park on gravel or pavement when possible.

And as a reminder, if a fire is to hot too touch, it’s too hot to leave.