Near-critical fire weather, Red Flag Warning issued for Beltrami County area

Dry air and gusty northwest wind turned North Beltrami and surrounding counties into a fast-fire zone Friday, with the National Weather Service in Grand Forks forecasting near critical fire weather from late morning through the afternoon and early evening. Forecasters said relative humidity could fall to around 20 percent and wind gusts could reach 25 mph, enough to let a spark race through extremely dry grass before help can arrive.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said a Red Flag Warning was in effect from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. for 24 counties across central and northwest Minnesota, including Mahnomen County, as well as nearby Red Lake, Clearwater, Hubbard, Becker, Wilkin, Otter Tail and Wadena counties. In Beltrami County, the warning covered North Beltrami and South Beltrami, where the same dry fuels that line ditches, field edges and wooded lots can carry fire quickly under low humidity and wind.

State fire officials said the warning meant large vegetative debris burning would not be issued or activated under open burning permits during the warning period, and campfires were discouraged. Residents were also urged to check recent burns and make sure every ash pile and debris fire was completely out. That warning mattered because escaped debris fires are the number one cause of wildfires in Minnesota, and the DNR said fine fuels such as grass and small twigs can dry out rapidly when humidity is low and winds increase.

The weather service said spotter activation was not anticipated, but the bigger concern on the ground was how quickly an ordinary spark could become a county-level problem. That risk extends to spark-producing equipment, especially where dry grass is already brittle. The NWS hazardous weather outlook said near critical fire weather could continue through the weekend, which means the danger may outlast the midday warning window.

Beltrami County Emergency Management, which operates under the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office, has also shifted how residents get warned. The county moved to Everbridge in 2026 after decommissioning CodeRED in 2025, and text and phone alerts require residents to opt in. Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Emergency Alert System are accessed through Everbridge, and outdoor warning sirens can be activated in Bemidji, Lake Bemidji State Park, Kelliher, Waskish and Big Bog State Park, and Blackduck if a fast-moving fire threatens people outdoors.

The DNR said its fire danger and burning restrictions maps update daily and refresh every five minutes, a reminder that conditions can change quickly on a day when dry fuel, low humidity and wind are all lining up at once.