Burning restrictions issued for portions of Minnesota

With an increase in wildfire risk due to dry conditions, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is restricting open burning across much of Minnesota.

Counties included in the burning restrictions are:
Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmstead, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Southern St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine.

According to the DNR, permits for open burning of brush or yard waste will not be issued in these counties. They ask residents to be careful with backyard campfires.

“Extreme drought conditions in combination with dry fall vegetation, low humidity, and wind make for dangerous fire conditions,” Allissa Reynolds, DNR wildfire prevention supervisor said in a press release. “Restricting open burning prevents a burn pile from escaping and becoming a wildfire.”

Burning restrictions will be adjusted as conditions change.

For more information and daily updates on current fire risk and open burning restrictions, visit the statewide fire danger and burning restrictions page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/BurnRestrictions).