Current Status: All evacuations and road closures in the Green Valley Fire area have been lifted.  An aerial infrared flight Friday morning located some remaining hotspots within the fire area and ground forces worked on the identified areas. An area of burning peat was discovered and several large slash piles are still holding concentrated heat. No spread is expected.

DNR Forestry has scheduled a meeting on May 23 at 7 p.m. in the Menahga H.S. library for landowners seeking assistance with salvage of damaged timber. Call 218-732-3309 for more information.

See www.mnics.org  for information on this fire and other ongoing MN fires.

Those wishing to donate are encouraged to support local fire departments,
Salvation Army and Red Cross and other social service organizations.

Acreage: 7,100 acres

Containment: The fire is contained.

Structures Lost: 12 residences, 3 commercial properties and 43 outbuildings were destroyed. Two residences and 6 outbuildings were damaged.

Resources Assigned: All out of area resources have been demobilized.   Staffing of the fire was returned to the DNR Park Rapids Forestry Area.

Cooperators: Department of Natural Resources, Becker County Sheriff, Wadena County Sheriff, Hubbard County Sheriff. Fifty-three fire departments have assisted with suppression efforts on this incident.

Fire Weather for Saturday
Forecast for Saturday – Winds southeasterly at 10 mph, Rh 62%, high temp of 79. Good chance of significant rain.
Fire Behavior for Saturday: Fire behavior is expected to be minimal, especially if rain materializes.
Road Closures: There are no road closures at this time.
Fire and Other Information:
 For Green Valley Fire information, call 218-564-1301.
 Green Valley Fire email address: greenvalleyfireinfo@gmail.com
 DNR Forestry has scheduled a meeting on May 23 at 7PM in the Menahga H.S. library for landowners seeking assistance with salvage of damaged timber. Call 218-732-3309 for more information.
 See www.mnics.org for information on this fire and other ongoing MN fires.
 Those wishing to donate are encouraged to support local fire departments, Salvation Army and Red Cross and other social service organizations.

For more information go to www.mnics.org. or call 218 327-4558 and ask for the Information staff.

• Most fires occurred late this afternoon and early evening.
• Temperatures ranged from the 70s near International Falls to the 100s in the Twin Cities.
• Menahga:  The Green Valley Fire (near Menahga) burned through a pine stand with crowning.  Several structures threatened and some lost (no confirmation on number and type of structures lost). The Incident Management Team that was assigned to the Buffalo Ranch fire has been re-assigned to the fire near Menahga.  Earlier reports put the fire at 6 miles long by ¾ mile wide. Air assets: Air Attack, CL-215 water scooper, Fire Boss, Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) and a helicopter.  Evacuations have occurred.  They have been scattered, not large areas.  The fire is about 2 miles north of Menahga.
• The two fires near Red Lake burned actively but the small amount of rain earlier in the day kept the Buffalo Ranch Fire from spreading.  The total acreage was reduced to 4,900 acres after more accurate mapping. The National Guard provided support on the River Road Fire with a Blackhawk helicopter and a Chinook helicopter.
• A fire northeast of Camp Ripley threatened structures, a Single Engine Air Tanker and CL-215 scooper flew on it.
• Two Fire Boss aircraft assisted Wisconsin on a fire near Solon Springs that was crowning in pine.
• DNR, federal agencies, and local fire departments responded to many fires today.
• Aircraft responded to fires near Park Rapids, Virginia, Salo, Sturgeon Lake, Hinckley, Wright, and Atkinson

Warroad aircraft were grounded due to high winds. Several areas had winds gusting in the upper 3o mph. Light helicopters are often grounded at 40 mph winds.

Humidity late in the day registered 8% at Appleton, 9% at Fargo, and 12 % at Sandstone.

Weather forecast:

• State will see cooler temperatures, lighter winds, and higher relative humidity, but it will be dry, so fire danger will remain high.
• The first chance of significant precipitation will be Thursday afternoon. The weekend will likely be wet.

Even though northern Minnesota had showers this morning, most areas had less than a tenth of an inch of rain. The strong winds will dry these areas quickly.

Monday was an active fire day, especially in Northwest Minnesota.  The largest fire, the Buffalo Ranch Fire started on Red Lake Reservation lands.  The fire is approximately 6,000 acres.

The Minnesota Incident Command System (MNICS) sent an Incident Management Team (IMT) to NW Minnesota.  Another IMT is on alert.

Yesterday 19 of 21 MNICS aircraft were dispatched to NW Minnesota fires (two remained to cover the eastern and southern parts of the state).  MNICS also called in a quick strike which includes a CL-415 (large water scooper) and a Bird Dog (spotter) from Ontario.

In these extreme fire conditions, MNICS agencies urge people to call 911 if they see a fire.  Please do not try to put out a fire yourself.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has restricted burning in most of Minnesota because of fire conditions.  Please check the DNR website for more information on burning restrictions and fire danger.

MNICS also encourages anyone who did burning over the last week to check the site for embers.  Debris piles can hold heat for a long time and the high winds could restart the fire.

Campfires are allowed, but please watch weather and high winds, and use caution. Campfires must be no larger than three feet tall by three feet wide.  Keep a water source handy while burning.  Remain with the campfire at all times.   Make sure the fire is cool to the touch before leaving — drown the fire, stir, and drown again.

TODAY:  Temperatures on Monday will be in the upper 40s in NE Minnesota to around 80 in the far west.  Relative humidity (RH) recovery Sunday night into Monday was poor, with many readings in the 30s and 40s.  Itasca State Park only had an RH of 34%. Winds will be high in the western part of Minnesota, so watch for downed powerlines.

TUESDAY: Fire danger will be high Tuesday due to high temperatures from the mid-80s to mid-90s.  The relative humidity will be low dipping into the 20s in some areas.  Winds from 15 to 25 mph will gust to 30 to 40 mph as the day wears on.  Fires will start easily and burn quickly with extreme intensity.

WEDNESDAY:  High fire danger will continue with low humidity, warm temperatures, and strong winds.

BURNING RESTRICTIONS, FIRE DANGER:  Burning restrictions are in place in most of Minnesota due to the fire danger.  These restrictions will remain in effect until green-up when fire danger decreases.  Burning restrictions prohibit open burning of vegetative debris.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will not issue burning permits during this time.

Campfires are allowed if they are no larger than three feet high by three feet across.  Please use extreme caution with campfires.  Over the last few days, DNR firefighters and local fire departments have responded to wildfires caused when campfires have gotten away.   Clear the area around the campfire. Keep a water source handy.  Stay with the fire at all times, and make sure it is completely out (cool to the touch) before leaving.

For those who burned debris before the burning restrictions took effect, please check  to make sure there are no hot spots.  Hidden embers can flare up in these high wind conditions.

For current information on fire danger, visit the DNR website at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html.

“Winter fires are unlikely to spread as long as there is snow on the ground,” said Dan Carroll, DNR Bemidji area forester. “However, dirt, ash and snow can insulate embers and allow fires to smolder for days, weeks or even months. On a dry, windy spring day embers can be fanned into flames, escape into nearby dead grasses and quickly become a fast-moving wildfire.”

A burning permit is required if there is less three inches of snow on the ground.

The DNR estimates that in the Northwest Region alone, up to a dozen or more fires each spring can be attributed to winter burn piles that were inadequately extinguished.

To avoid “holdover” fires this spring, the DNR reminds everyone to be careful with fire.

“If you burn, be absolutely sure that your pile is completely out,” said Carroll. “Folks should use extra care with dozer piles, as they often contain large stumps and dirt that can hold fire for months.”

The DNR encourages people to be aware that if a burn pile escapes from them. They can be held responsible for wildfire suppression costs and may be subject to fines.

The DNR will restrict burning beginning at 8 a.m. on May 6 in Aitkin, Benton, Crow Wing, Douglas, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and southern Cass (that portion south of Highway 200) counties.

For more information regarding safe burning or on obtaining a burning permit, please contact your local fire department or the area DNR Forestry office.

People can check conditions/restrictions at a local DNR Forestry office or online at www.mndnr.gov.

]]> http://mnics.org/wpress/?feed=rss2&p=9119 0 http://mnics.org/wpress/?p=9111 http://mnics.org/wpress/?p=9111#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 16:10:29 +0000 jegoad http://mnics.org/wpress/?p=9111 Continue reading →]]> Residents are reminded that permits are required for open burning and those permits have limitations, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

An open burning permit is required for any fire larger than three feet in diameter and when the ground is not covered by at least three inches of snow.

Permission to burn in most south-central and southwestern Minnesota counties is in the form of a paper burning permit issued through the county sheriff.  Big Stone, Kandiyohi and Meeker counties also have an internet based permit option accessible via www.mndnr.gov/burning_permits.  Brown, Freeborn and Renville counties have adopted a recent statute change allowing their citizens to get permission to burn by calling the county sheriff.

“What you can and can’t burn is pretty simple,” according to DNR Fire Supervisor Tom Romaine. “If it’s not natural, untreated, vegetative material, it cannot be burned.”

Romaine explained that open burning is pretty much limited to trees, tree trimmings, brush and clean, unpainted, untreated lumber.   Unacceptable materials include oils, rubber, plastics, tires and chemically treated materials such as railroad ties, treated lumber, composite shingle, tar paper, insulation, composition board, sheet rock, wiring, paint, hazardous materials and industrial solid waste; most household garbage falls into this category.

Illegal burning is a misdemeanor, but bigger financial penalties often result from loss of property, proper disposal of burnt materials and firefighting expenses.

Any suspected unauthorized or illegal fires should be reported by dialing 911.

“The best policy is, if in doubt, report it,” Romaine said. “An early report of a fire enables a quicker response time and helps to keep fires small.”

For additional information on open burning, visit www.mndnr.gov/forestry/fire/questions.html.

DNR foresters have the ability to restrict local burning on short notice when fire conditions warrant.  Often these restrictions will be for short periods of time.

In addition, the DNR  restricts open burning each spring because between snow melt and green up because fires start easily in the dry grasses and brush.  Restrictions go on from south to north as the snow melts.

Beginning Monday, May 13 at 8 a.m. most of the north and central parts of the state will be under burning restictions until green up when fire danger drops.

Counties included in burning restrictions are: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti,  Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Ottertail, Pennington, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Roseau, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, Washington, Wright, and the southeast corner of Polk County which includes that portionortion of Polk County is south and east of County Road 6 from the Manhomen County line to MN Hwy 92 east to the Clearwater County line.

See map, information, and current restrictions and fire conditions at:   www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html.

In areas of Minnesota where burning is allowed, the DNR urges extreme caution.  Never leave the fire unattended, have a water source available, and make sure the fire is completely out before leaving.

Anyone conducting an open fire is responsible for suppression costs if the fire escapes control. The DNR encourages the use of composting, recycling, and chipping as alternatives to burning.

While debris burning will be curtailed, campfires smaller than 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height are allowed.