The National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday for much of Minnesota as conditions are extremely dry and windy with low humidity -- making conditions viable for explosive fires.
While there aren’t any warnings for Grand Forks County, meteorologist Tom Grafenauer of the weather service in Grand Forks said residents should still be careful. Outdoor and prescribed burns are not recommended.
“As you head into Minnesota, conditions are pretty dry. Conditions are a little better near the border,” Grafenauer said Friday morning, but low relative humidity in Grand Forks and the Devils Lake areas still can pose a dangerous threat.
“The National Weather Service classifies conditions as critical and near critical. Right now, we’re at near critical,” he said. “Somebody that’s not careful (with a prescribed burn) or with the right conditions, a fire could easily take off.”
Grafenauer said a cold front with gusty winds is moving in from the northwest moving southeast. This pattern could shift winds and make fires difficult to combat.
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Saturday’s temperature should hover around 70 degrees and conditions will remain dry through the weekend. Winds are expected to be a bit lighter at 10 to 15 mph, which would help in maintaining and eliminating a fire.
There is a possibility of light rain early next week, Grafenauer said, but nothing substantial.
“We might have passing showers here and there,” he said.
