Near-critical fire weather threatens St. Louis County, outdoor burning discouraged

Dry air, gusty winds and parched fuels pushed St. Louis County into a stretch of near-critical fire weather, raising the risk that a single spark could spread fast across northeast Minnesota from the Brainerd Lakes region to the international border. Outdoor burning was strongly discouraged as conditions tightened.

The National Weather Service in Duluth said critical fire weather conditions were still affecting northeast Minnesota on April 20, when a Red Flag Warning was in effect. Forecasters warned that dry conditions Tuesday, followed by dry, warm and breezy weather Wednesday, would keep fire danger elevated across northeast Minnesota and potentially northwest Wisconsin. Tuesday afternoon relative humidity was forecast to fall to 17% to 23%, with Wednesday highs reaching the lower to mid-70s and some lower-80s readings possible in the Brainerd Lakes area.

State fire officials moved to limit ignition sources before the weather could turn a small blaze into a larger one. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources expanded spring burning restrictions to include St. Louis County starting at 8 a.m. Monday, April 20, along with several other northern Minnesota counties. Under elevated restrictions, the agency says there can be no open burning and additional limits may be added depending on fire danger.

The warning carried extra weight because escaped debris fires are the number one cause of wildfires in Minnesota. That is the kind of fire officials want residents to stop setting altogether while the weather stays dry and windy, especially burn piles that can get away from people quickly. Karen Harrison, a DNR wildfire prevention specialist, said, "Warm and dry conditions elevate the risk of wildfires," and said the burn restrictions have "helped reduce wildfires by more than 30% over the past decade."

The DNR’s burning-restrictions page showed how active the wildfire season has been, with Red Flag Warnings listed on April 12, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23. For St. Louis County, the message was plain: hold off on outdoor burning, avoid anything that could throw off embers and treat every dry field, ditch and wood pile as a possible ignition point until moisture and winds improve.