FAIRMONT – After a red flag warning for Martin County on Monday and another going into effect from noon until 8 p.m. today, officials are watching as the conditions for fire continue to come together.

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildfire Prevention Specialist Karen Harrison said April and May are the most common times for these warnings, as the seasons change.

“About 75 percent of all wildfires in Minnesota occur in April and May,” she said. “It follows that snow melt. In an average year, that would start in southern Minnesota and move north. As that snow disappears, the wildfire activity will also start to pick up. Once we have green up, then there’s more moisture in vegetation. We’ll see a dip in fire activity, typically early June.”

Temperature, humidity, wind and wind gust strength are all weather factors that influence whether a red flag warning will be issued for a given day. In addition, what the ground conditions look like also plays a role.

“What kind of fuels are available?” Harrison said. “Grasses, brush, timber, slash, things like that. What moisture level are those fuels at currently? Our staff in Predictive Services constantly monitor the weather and conditions, those fuel, moisture levels.”

Ultimately, Harrison said 90 percent of wildfires are human-caused, and often they are unintentional. These include common practices that some may not associate with fire risks.

“Any equipment that has a metal blade, a lawn mower, or if you’re doing any planting during harvest season, those all have the potential to cause wildfires,” Harrison said. “Anything with a hot engine, with tall, dry grasses. Even if, let’s say, there’s green grass, those hot engines are so hot that they can dry out the grass and start a fire.”

If people do burn, she said people must take the necessary precautions.

“Stay by your fire at all times,” Harrison said. “It should always be supervised and make sure the fire is out cold before you leave. When you have a fire, those embers can stay warm and can rekindle in the right conditions. On a day like today, when the temperature is picking up, the wind picks up a little bit, those embers can reignite, rekindle and escape.”

So far, there have been no wildfires for the Fairmont Fire Department to put out, according to Assistant Fire Chief Colby Whitmore. That is a trend they hope to see continue as red-flag days add up.

If a fire does happen, Harrison made it clear what should be done as soon as possible.

“Don’t let a wildfire become a life-altering event,” she said. “Get to a safe location and call 911, right away.”

For more information, visit dnr.state.mn.us/burnrestrictions.