With dry conditions persisting throughout much of Minnesota, wildfire agencies have further restricted open burning in portions of the state. Beginning Aug. 10, by order of the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Mark Holsten, no open burning, including the use of burning barrels, will be allowed in Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Cook, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ottertail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Wadena, Washington, and Wright counties. In addition, recreational fires or campfires will only be allowed in a designated fire receptacle designed for such use provided it is associated with a residence, dwelling, campground, or resort. “The decision to restrict burning in these areas is not taken lightly,” stated David Epperly, the Director of the Division of Forestry, “Conditions in the state have created a situation where any uncontained fire could spread and result in extensive damage or injury.” Much of the state is currently classified as in the midst of a moderate to severe drought. In addition to affecting the agricultural crops, the lack of precipitation allows vegetation in forests and grasslands to cure and dry out making them far more susceptible to ignition and increases the rate of spread of a fire once started. Fire behavior analysts consider several factors when predicting fire danger. The obvious factors like temperature, humidity and wind speed are factored in with less obvious factors like the types of fuel available, moisture content of the fuels, the soil moisture, and potential for future precipitation. Several stations within Minnesota calculate fuel moisture each day and their measurements are factored into the equation. Recent measurements show that numerous stations within Minnesota are showing the larger dead fuels have moistures of less than eighteen percent. Fire Behavior Analyst Doug Miedtke stated that when moisture in large dead material falls this low, the potential for fires to spread is compounded with difficulty in controlling them should they start. “If these larger fuels ignite, fire intensity increases dramatically, requiring additional effort to extinguish and often cannot be worked on without heavy equipment or air support.” Miedtke added. Restrictions will remain in place until sufficient precipitation is received to moderate the fire danger. If normal precipitation is not received in the near future, it may necessitate expanding the area. Firefighters caution everyone to be extra careful with their outdoor activities; even recreational or campfires within receptacles have the potential to ignite nearby fuels. Stay with your fire, have water handy as well as a means of dispensing it. We want to protect the people and resources we care for. ********** Commissioner’s Order Closing portions of the state to open fires State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resouces Fire Order No. 2007 WHEREAS, large areas in the northern portion of the state have had substantially less than their normal precipitation; and WHEREAS, much of Minnesota is considered in moderate to severe drought status; and WHEREAS, weather conditions have contributed to further drying of forests, brushlands and grasslands of the state; and WHEREAS, fuel conditions conducive to forest fire hazards exist in forest, brushland and grassland areas of the state; NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to authority vested in me by law, including but not limited to Minnesota Statutes, Sections 88.10, 88.16, 88.17 and 88.22. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, for the period commencing at 6 .m., Aug. 10, 2007, for Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Cook, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ottertail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Wadena, Washington, and Wright counties and continuing until revoked or modified by further order of the Commissioner, that this order is revised such that:
Open burning restrictions
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