A Red Flag warning for wildfires was issued Friday, June 4, for a large swath of northwest and west-central Minnesota, as well as northeast North Dakota.
Temperatures soaring to near 100 degrees in some areas, combined with low humidity and potential high winds, are causing critical weather conditions ideal for wildfires, officials said.
The Red Flag warning is in effect until 9 p.m. Friday.
In Minnesota, the counties impacted are Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake Of The Woods, Lake, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, St. Louis, Wadena and Wilkin, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
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In North Dakota, the counties of Cavalier, Benson, Pembina, Towner, Grand Forks, Walsh, Grand Forks, Griggs, Steele, Traill, Barnes, Cass, Ransom, Sargent and Richland are included in the warning, said the National Weather Service in Grand Forks.
According to the weather service, the forecast for the area Friday includes temperatures near 100 degrees, and humidity as low as 17%, with winds of 15 to 24 miles per hour, with gusts of 35 mph expected.
“Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly and become difficult to control or suppress,” the weather service said on its website .
