As warm and dry weather continues to spread throughout the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has added the following counties today to the burn restriction list: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Norman, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.
Beginning Wednesday, March 31, the DNR will also restrict open burning in the following counties: Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Washington and Wright.
The state will not issue burning permits for brush or yard waste in these counties until these restrictions are lifted.
Restrictions remain in place for: Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau counties.
“Wildfire danger is especially high in April and May because we have dry conditions with no snow protection,” said Casey McCoy, DNR fire prevention supervisor. “Once the landscape ‘greens up’ fire danger goes down—but until then, restrictions reduce the potential for wildfires.”
If people need to dispose of yard waste, McCoy recommends composting, chipping, or taking brush to a collection site. For information on how compost yard waste, visit the DNR’s guide to composting yard debris.
People who burn debris will be held financially responsible if their fire escapes and burns other property.
For information and daily updates on current fire risk and open burning restrictions, visit the DNR website: mndnr.gov/burnrestrictions.