A taste of summer is on the way Monday with temperatures soaring to likely record highs in the upper 60s or above, and with it comes a fire danger.

The record high in the Twin Cities for March 10 is 66 degrees, set in 2015, but a new record is almost certain with a forecast high of 70 degrees Monday, the National Weather Service said.

Records could also fall in Duluth, St. Cloud, Moorhead and Rochester as the mercury shoots into the 50s and 60s, the Weather Service predicted.

The warmest temperatures will be in western and central Minnesota, the Weather Service said.

The warmer weather comes with an elevated risk for wildfires as humidity levels will be low and winds will be high. Red flag warnings, meaning fires can spread quickly and grow out of control under the predicted weather conditions, will be in place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. across the northwestern and west-central counties of Becker, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Wadena and Wilkin.

The warning includes Big Stone and Traverse counties on the Minnesota-South Dakota border and Lincoln and Lyon counties in southwestern Minnesota from 2-9 p.m.

Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd and Yellow Medicine counties are under the warning from 2-8 p.m., the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.

"Any spark could become a wildfire under red flag conditions," said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.

To reduce fire risk, people are encouraged to keep vehicles off dry grass, properly discard cigarettes, avoid using power equipment that creates sparks, avoid activities with open flames or sparks, and obey burning bans, the Weather Service said.

The DNR will not issue or activate open burning permits for large vegetative debris burning during the red flag warning, and campfires are discouraged, the DNR said.

Northwest winds blowing between 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are expected Monday afternoon and into the evening will bring cooler air into the state Tuesday.

High temperatures Tuesday in the Twin Cities will be more seasonable, in the low 40s. But the temperature drop will be just for a day. Highs in the 50s will return Wednesday, 60s on Thursday and 70s will be back on Friday, the Weather Service said.

The average high for March 10 in the Twin Cities is 39 degrees and the average low is 22 degrees, according to the Minnesota Climatology Office.