Extreme fire danger may be a recurring theme this spring

Updated 1:40 p.m.

Dry brush and grass. Warm dry weather. Gusty winds.

It’s a perfect recipe for brush fires in Minnesota in the spring.

We’ve already seen that large volatile fire near Waseca on Sunday.

That blaze put a plume of smoke up in the air so thick and tall it showed up on Doppler radar last Sunday.

With gusty winds and temperatures in the 50s again Wednesday across southern Minnesota, fire danger is high once again.

Much of southern Minnesota is ripe for wildfire danger Wednesday. Here’s the special weather statement from the Twin Cities National Weather Service office:

Including the cities of Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Princeton, Mora, St Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Elk River, Cambridge, Center City, Willmar, Litchfield, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, Shakopee, Hastings, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St Peter, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing, St James, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Fairmont, Blue Earth, and Albert Lea

1009 AM CST Wed Mar 6 2024

...ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITION TODAY ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

* WHAT...The combination of south to southeast winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph and afternoon relative humidity values down to between 25% and 30% will result in elevated fire weather conditions this afternoon.

* WHERE...Central and southern Minnesota outside of west central Minnesota, where a Red Flag Warning is in place.

* WHEN...Noon today through 6 PM CST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop could spread rapidly. Check with your county or the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to see if your county has any burning restrictions before starting any fires.

Red flag warnings are up for much of western Minnesota.

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

1236 PM CST Wed Mar 6 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA...

Winds today will be out of the south at 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph. Winds combined with relative humidity values as low as 20 to 25 percent will result in critical fire weather conditions this afternoon. Any fires that form will have the potential to spread quickly.

Stevens-Pope-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Yellow Medicine-

1236 PM CST Wed Mar 6 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Areas of west central Minnesota along and west of a line from Glenwood to Granite Falls.

* WIND...Southerly winds sustained at 25 to 30 mph and gusting to 40 mph * HUMIDITY...Relative humidities falling to around 25%.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Just after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the red flag warning was extended across southwestern Minnesota to include Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Le Sueur, Watonwan, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Nobles, Redwood, Renville and Sibley counties.

Any wildfires that start will grow and spread rapidly under these conditions Wednesday.

Until we get some soaking rainfall this may be a recurring theme this spring in Minnesota.