Burning Ban Implemented in Rice County

Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn implemented a burning ban in the county until further notice.

The ban started at 2:30PM Friday due to the windy conditions and low humidity throughout the county. All open burning is restricted, including permit burns -- which are suspended.

Recreational fires will still be allowed as long as they are contained to a 3-foot-by-3-foot ring or container.

Dunn asks residents of the county to "please use caution if having a recreation fire, especially if you are near combustible materials."

Faribault Fire Chief Dusty Dienst joined us in the KDHL studio for our Midday Report today when we announced the National Weather Service had issued a severe weather alert with a high danger of wildfires.

Dienst said the Faribault area was greener than a lot of other places but added the mixture of high winds and low humidity with high temperatures did provide a near-perfect recipe for wildfires.

He added, "wildfires are preventable," and said people need to keep their cigarette butts in their vehicles.

Canadian wildfires currently raging have shown what can happen when things get out of control. The only evacuation convoy leaving Fort McMurray was suspended due to 200-foot flames flanking the road, according to officials.

Parts of the city in the province of Alberta have been left devastated, and officials have expressed concern about an oil facility near the flames exploding.

In a statement released this afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called upon Canadians to donate to charities assisting the relief efforts. More than 1,000 firefighters and 150 helicopters, 295 pieces of heavy machinery and 27 aircraft tankers have been deployed, according to the Canadian government.

Officials say more than 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed.