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Duluth, MN – Governor Tim Walz has declared a peacetime emergency as wildfires continue to threaten northeastern Minnesota.
The order authorizes the Minnesota National Guard to assist with firefighting and emergency response in Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties. Dry conditions, lightning strikes, and a Red Flag Warning have fueled multiple fires.
The U.S. Forest Service has closed 225-thousand acres of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness after 17 wildfires ignited over the past week, forcing evacuations and closing several trails and entry points. State and federal agencies continue working to contain the fires and protect nearby communities.
A Red Flag Warning remains in effect today for 13 counties across northern Minnesota as hot temperatures, gusty winds and low humidity create extreme wildfire conditions. The warning runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cook, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Roseau and St. Louis counties.
The DNR is urging residents not to burn, avoid campfires, and use extreme caution with anything that could create sparks. Officials warn that under these conditions, a single spark can quickly grow into a fast-moving wildfire, with embers capable of traveling more than a mile in strong winds.
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