The National Weather Service is issuing a red flag warning for most of Minnesota.

The National Weather Service issued a warning for most of Minnesota and Iowa on Thursday, saying fires could spread quickly amid gusty winds and extremely dry air.

While the warning is in effect, burning brush or garden waste is prohibited. It is expected to end at 7 p.m. and will cover all parts of Minnesota except Lake and Cook counties along the north coast.

This is one of the most widespread fire warnings the weather service has issued in the Upper Midwest since it began issuing red flag warnings more than a decade ago. That's a testament not only to how unusually dry the current air mass is hovering over the state, but also how dry the entire region has been over the past 45 days, said Kenneth Blumenfeld, senior climatologist for the Minnesota Climatology Office.

There has been no measurable precipitation in the Twin Cities so far in October. And September was the driest on record, with records dating back to the late 19th century, Blumenfeld said.

“Then when you add to that the immediate conditions like rising temperatures, decreasing moisture in the air and really gusty winds, all of those things contribute to promoting the spread of a fire once it starts,” he said.

Forecasts show temperatures will climb into the low 80s in parts of the state this weekend and there will be no sign of rain for the foreseeable future.

The drought has pushed most of the state into drought for the first time in months, with nearly a third of Minnesota experiencing severe drought, according to an update from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday.

Most recently, heavy spring rains caused devastating flooding that threatened dams, overflowing manure lagoons and overwhelmed wastewater treatment systems throughout southern Minnesota.