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St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The ongoing drought affecting much of Minnesota has prompted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to impose burning restrictions across most of the state.

85 of the state's 87 counties are affected by the order. In this region, the list includes Olmsted, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona counties.

Minnesota DNR
Minnesota DNR
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A statement from the DNR says the agency has halted the issuance of permits for open burning of brush or yard waste until the burning restrictions are lifted. The DNR is also urging Minnesotans to be careful with backyard campfires.

“Extreme drought conditions in combination with dry fall vegetation, low humidity, and wind make for dangerous fire conditions,” said Allissa Reynolds, DNR wildfire prevention supervisor. “Restricting open burning prevents a burn pile from escaping and becoming a wildfire.”

The DNR says the burning restrictions will be adjusted as conditions change.

Earlier today, Freeborn County issued a Red Flag warning due to the dry conditions and a forecast calling for strong winds. Sheriff Kurt Freitag says only recreational fires are still allowed but they cannot be larger than 3' x 3' and need to be surrounded by a metal ring and kept at least 25 feet away from combustible materials.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

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