Red Flag warnings, burn bans issued

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for multiple counties in southern Minnesota due to extreme fire risk conditions. 

The warning is active from noon Thursday until 8 p.m. for Sibley, Brown, Nicollet, Le Sueur, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Waseca, Martin, Faribault, and Freeborn Counties.

A Red Flag Warning means fires can spread quickly and easily progress out of control under the predicted weather conditions, including gusty winds and low humidity.

Residents in counties where a Red Flag Warning is in effect should not burn and they should check any recent burning they may have done to ensure the fire is completely out.

Freeborn County Sheriff Ryan Shea issued a burn ban for the duration of the Red Flag Warning, noting that contained recreational fires of 3 feet by 3 feet were allowed, as long as the fire was at least 25 feet away from combustible material.

A burn ban was also issued in Brown County by Sheriff Jason Seidl.