Another Red Flag warning in effect for most of MN as wildfires rage

Wildfires raging across Minnesota

Several wildfires in northern Minnesota have now impacted thousands of acres, according to officials on Monday. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim has the latest details.

(FOX 9) - As crews battle wildfires in Minnesota's Arrowhead, another Red Flag warning is in effect on Tuesday for much of Minnesota.

The warning means fires can spread and grow out of control due to low humidity, gusty winds, and dry conditions.

Red Flag warning issued

What we know:

Tuesday's warning covers much of all of northern and western Minnesota. The Twin Cities are not included in Tuesday's warning but areas just to the north and west area, including St. Cloud, Hinckley, and Mankato.

Local perspective:

The warning covers the following Minnesota counties: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Lake, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Watonwan, Wilkin, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.

The warning also stretches west into counties in the eastern half of the Dakotas.

A special weather statement has been issued for 12 counties in east-central and southeastern Minnesota due to the elevated fire weather conditions, including low humidity and high winds.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lists the state’s fire danger as extreme, meaning that "fire situation is explosive and can result in extensive property damage." As of Tuesday, there is no open burning allowed in Minnesota and campfires are discouraged. 

Wildfires burn in northern Minnesota

Big picture view:

Crews are battling wildfires in northern Minnesota, including two major fires in St. Louis County, about 35 miles north of Duluth.

The Camp House fire has burned 1,250 acres in the Superior National Forest and destroyed more than 40 structures, deputies say. The nearby Jenkins Creek fire is burning just to the northwest of the Camp House fire, burning through about 1,500 acres.

The sheriff also warned Monday afternoon about a third fire, the Munger Fire, burning further south in Cotton Township.

Evacuation orders have been issued for all three fires.