***This email reflects conditions on March 27. Be sure to check for today’s current conditions before considering a burn.***

Spring has arrived! So have the first spring burning restrictions in Minnesota. Open burning is restricted in parts of central, east-central, and southeast Minnesota – counties shown in yellow on the map.

Conditions will change

Additional burning restrictions will be added as conditions change. Visit the DNR’s current fire risk and open burning restrictions webpage for daily updates. Check for your burning permit information by county.

Central, east-central, and southeast restrictions

Warmer temperatures and drier conditions in central, east-central, and southeast Minnesota mean increased wildfire risk, so the DNR is restricting open burning in the following counties effective immediately:

Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Kanabec, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Olmsted, Pine, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Steele, Todd, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, and Wright.

The state will not issue burning permits for brush or yard waste in these counties until restrictions are lifted. A variance permit may be obtained for special agricultural, industrial, or management circumstances like a prescribed burn.

Conditions across Minnesota

Regular burning permits are now required in southern and west-central Minnesota. In the snow-covered northern third of the state, burning permits are not required yet. A burning permit is required when three inches or less of continuous snow is covering the ground. Remember to check with your local city or municipality for regulations prior to any burning.

Alternatives to burning

Escaped debris burns are the number one cause of wildfires. Alternatives to burning include composting, chipping, or taking brush to a collection site. For information on how to compost yard debris, visit the DNR’s guide to composting yard debris.