MN DNR adds more counties to burn restriction list

The list of Minnesota counties with burn restrictions continues growing, as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) added to the list.

As of Friday, Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, and Wilkin Counties now have open burning restrictions.

Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Hennepin, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Washington, and Write Counties already had burn restrictions in place.

The DNR will not issue permits for the open burning of brush or yard waste in these counties until restrictions are lifted.

“Wildfire danger is especially high in spring because dormant or dead vegetation from the previous year has dried out and there is no snow protection,” said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist. “Once the landscape ‘greens up,’ fire danger goes down – but until then, burning restrictions reduce the potential for wildfires.”

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.