Burning restrictions are still in effect
Published Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Fire activity throughout the state has been brisk for the past week. There were multiple dispatches Friday for aircraft. The DNR flew helicopters and made water drops from Bemidji, Princeton and Cloquet. A Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) flew from Bemidji doing additional suppression work.
Along with fire activity has come a rash of civilian injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to heart attack. Debris fires will produce toxic smoke and chemicals from a variety of materials which can cause permanent injury or even death.
"Most wildfires this time of year are human caused," reminds, Ron Stoffel, Wildland Fire Suppression Supervisor at the Interagency Fire Center, "and occur when people try to fight fires they lost control of. Most people don't have fire resistant clothing (personal protective equipment, PPE) or proper tools to fight fire aggressively. If a fire gets out of control, it's best to step back and call for help."
Grass and other light fuels will dry quickly despite recent thunderstorms and will remain a significant threat until things "green up", usually not until the end of May or early June.
The fire danger in Central and Southern Minnesota will remain in moderate to high conditions; they had little or no rain over night.
The DNR reminds citizens that burning restrictions are in effect for all counties from northern Minnesota south to Ramsey, Hennepin and Washington counties.
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