A fire that broke out last week northwest of Greenbush, Minn.,
has been contained at 700 acres, but crews continue working to
extinguish burning peat. The incident serves as a reminder for
landowners to use extreme caution when burning because of the
ongoing dry conditions in northwest Minnesota. Fire danger is in
the “high” category across much of northern Minnesota. In a news
release, the Department of Natural Resources said landowners are
responsible for the costs of fighting escaped fires — including
those for which burning permits were obtained — and fires that
ignite peat. DNR Forestry offices and local fire departments
recently have responded to escaped permit fires and peat fires.
It’s dry out there, and all vegetation is very susceptible to
catching fire, including green grass and peat. In a news
release, the DNR said a small debris fire or grass fire can
quickly become a wildfire and landowners will be responsible for
the costs of fighting it and extinguishing all peat. In other
words, that could ge