Rural Rochester Man Gets Ticket For Starting Field Fire Monday

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Rochester, MN(KROC AM News) - A rural Rochester man was given a ticket for burning without a permit Monday after he caused a fire that charred several acres of brush and grass.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says Rochester Fire Dept. crews were called to the 5400 block of Creekside Ln SW around 3:30 pm.

Before they could get the fire out, it had covered between 7 and 10 acres. No property damage was reported.

A sheriff’s office spokesman says the man had been burning sticks and cardboard and strong winds blew the sparks into the nearby field.

The combination of warm, dry weather, strong winds and dead vegetation created ideal wildfire conditions across most of Minnesota Monday.

Similar conditions are expected Tuesday and the National Weather Service has issued a related advisory.

News update: Wildfire in NW Minnesota forces closure of highway.