Following two excessively wet, cool springs in the eastern Dakotas and Minnesota, prairie wildfire season is back. The warmer-than-normal temperatures, combined with dryness and strong wind gusts, brought a greater risk for fires across the Northern Plains. National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Greg Gust said the last time there was a red flag warning in this region was 2018. “One of the remarks I remember from 2018 is people saying it was a windy March,” said Gust. “March is always windy, but when it’s still winter in March, then it’s a blizzard. This year, we’re dry.” When warmer temperatures return, more red flag warnings are likely to follow. “We are talking widespread warnings with temperatures around 70 degrees and, of course, the wind.”
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