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All fires are now banned in Freeborn County, except for when a variance is granted to reduce the need for fire services during Gov. Tim Walz’s stay at home order.

According to a press release from the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office, variances are generally granted to contractual companies hired to burn grass and other vegetation from sections of land the size of an acre or larger.

Geographically, the ban is in effect from Todd County southeast to include all of the metro counties, east to include Pine County and nearly all the counties south to Iowa.