Fire Danger and Burning Restrictions Across the Northland

DULUTH, Minn. — The fire danger in the Northland has been rated as high, as a result the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued burn restrictions across the region.

“This upcoming pattern that we’re going to be looking at as far as creating these possible critical fire weather conditions, especially Sunday and Monday, is something that we generally see, you know, one to two times per time period of the year, especially in this kind of mid to late spring time period,” Nathan Lynum, Duluth National Weather Service Meteorologist said.

A meteorologist at Duluth’s National Weather Service station says the levels could possible reach critical in the next few days. During these conditions, a simple spark could potentially start a wildfire.

‘We want people to be able to be aware of those latest fire restrictions that are actually in effect. And so being able to go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website and checking out what are the current burn restrictions, potentially for an area that you may be camping in, going to your cabin,” Lynum said.

While these conditions aren’t unusual for this time of the year, the warm temps play a huge role in the fire watch.

“That really warm air mass producing surface temperatures that we’re going to feel here at the surface, from 80 to almost 90 degrees in far northwest Minnesota, is the very anomalous part,” Lynum said.

Through a satellite, the National Weather Service is able to detect hotspots across the Northland.

“Our satellites can actually take the energy from that fire and look at it and let us know that there is a hot spot detected somewhere in the Northland,” Lynum said.

As for the Minnesota fishing opener this weekend, people are encouraged to still practice water safety even though the temps will be high.

“As we’re going into more of a boating heavy time period of the year, we do want people to be aware that even though the temperatures are going to feel very nice and very warm. Of course, in the 80s, those lake water temperatures are still in the 30s to maybe low 40, right now,” Lynum said.

The current fire restrictions allow for permit burning only. People are encouraged to use cation when having a campfire or grilling and to remember that any heat source could spark a wildfire.