DNR: Fire season starts early in Minnesota

(KMSP) - The Minnesota Department of Natural resources says fire season has started a few weeks before normal in central Minnesota.

DNR officials blame a lack of snow and a plentiful supply of dry grass and brush.

"A year like this when parts of the state, the central part of the state, hasn't had a lot of snow cover, the fuel, the sticks, the grass, and the leaves have been out drying most of the winter," said Jim Edgar with the DNR.

Thursday afternoon near East Bethel, windy conditions helped push grass fire with no shortage of dry fuel. Firefighters stopped the fire just yards from nearby buildings.

Fire season in central Minnesota typically subsides in mid-May when rising temperatures and rain cause foliage to green.

But between now and then experts are advising extra caution.

"In this part of the state almost all of our wildfires are people caused," said Edgar.