MELRUDE, Minn. — Fire danger remains high in Minnesota Wednesday, causing the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue a Red Flag Warning for parts of the state.
Impacted areas are in the southwestern part of Minnesota, and include Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan, and Yellow Medicine Counties.
A Red Flag Warning means the area is experiencing critical weather conditions that are ideal for wildfire, including strong winds and minimum humidity values. Do not burn while the Red Flag Warning remains in effect and check any burning done recently to ensure the fire is out. Any spark could become a wildfire under Red Flag conditions.
Fire danger is actually high across the state. On Tuesday a wildfire that broke out north of Duluth near the community of Melrude burned for nearly three hours before being extinguished.
According to KBJR, the fire broke out around 5 p.m. just off Lee Road in Melrude, Minnesota.
Multiple fire departments, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the St. Louis County Rescue Squad all responded to the fire. Investigators say it started after a branch fell on a power line.
According to KBJR, the fire grew to more than 20 acres in size, and crews evacuated some homes within a quarter-mile of the fire.
The fire was contained and extinguished at around 7:45 p.m.
No injuries and no structures were damaged in the fire.
The DNR said it will return to the scene on Wednesday to continue to investigate, according to KBJR.
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