Red Flag warning issued for northern Minnesota counties as dry spell continues

(FOX 9) - A Red Flag warning has been issued for several counties in northern Minnesota as winds pick up and dry conditions continue in Minnesota.

The warning on Saturday, which includes Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties, is in effect until 8 p.m.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources warns any spark could ignite a wildfire under these conditions. Residents in the affected counties should not burn anything and check any recent burns to ensure they were fully extinguished.

According to the DNR's fire danger map, nearly all of Minnesota is at a moderate or worse risk for wildfires.