Duluth, MN (Northlands NewsCenter)
-- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that 96 percent of the state is under moderate or severe drought conditions.
This usually dry weather is causing the DNR to gear up for a possibly early start to the fire season.
Even though the Northland is around 39 inches UNDER the average for snowfall, DNR officials are waiting a few weeks before any fire advisories are issued.
The 25 percent dryer than average soil created conditions that could lead to an early fire season for 2012.
The DNR is looking at fire season beginning in mid-march rather than the usual mid to late April start.
DNR crews are already directing more manpower and equipment to various stations in anticipation of a severe fire season.
They are worried about grass fires in our area and the dry and abundant amount of combustible wood and blow down.
"There will be an increase in the fuel that's available to burn. So depending on what we get in the spring for precip we will determine how severe that would be"
Our meteorologists here at the station are predicting below average precipitation in the next 14 days.
The DNR says the drought is expect to last through April and because of the dry Fall in 2011 and the even dryer winter we have had so far...a normal spring for participation wouldn't be enough to offset the damage that has been done.
Dry condition are expected to run into spring and possibly into the summer.
Zach Vavricka
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