Granite Falls wildfire burns 146 acres of wildland

DNR 'Ready' as Red Flag fire warnings cover MN

"We are ready." That's the message from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as a Red Flag fire warning goes into effect for 77 counties. DNR Wildfire Prevention Specialist Karen Harrison says she expects the warning from the National Weather Service to continue into Monday. Harrison spoke live on how the DNR has prepared crews for the worst and how we can help keep the state safe.

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. (FOX 9) - Fire crews worked to extinguish a brush fire in Granite Falls that burned 146 acres of wildland on Sunday.

Granite Falls fire

What we know:

The Granite Falls Fire Department responded to a fire around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday near Highway 167 in Yellow Medicine County.

The fire spread and ultimately burned 146 acres of wildland, in addition to several fence posts, power poles and hunting stands, though no structure fires were involved. No injuries were reported.

"We are grateful to our community and families for supporting us throughout the day. Our mutual aid brothers and sisters were fully prepared to lock arms and fight a monstrous fire. At final count, 23 grass rigs, dozens of tankers and engines, and two helicopters responded to the scene," the fire department said in a statement. 

Multiple agencies assisted with the fire response, including fire departments in Hanley Falls, Sacred Heart, Wood Lake, Clarkfield, Renville, Maynard, Montevideo, in addition to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Granit Falls Police Department, Yellow Medicine County Sheriff, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Xcel Energy, Upper Sioux Emergency Management and Wildland Fire.

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials don’t consider foul play or intentional open burning to be a factor.  

Camp House wildfire 

Northern MN wildfire grows to 750 acres

A wildfire burning in the Superior National Forest amid a Red Flag warning in Minnesota has now grown to 750 acres, officials say.

What else:

Firefighters in northern Minnesota are battling a wildfire, named the Camp House fire, which started around 1 p.m. on Sunday, just two miles northeast of Brimson, Minnesota. 

The fire grew to around 750 acres in size Sunday night, and is listed at 750 acres in size and 0% contained as of 9:30 a.m. Monday. There are 56 personnel working on the fire, according to the Minnesota Incident Command System website. 

READ MORE: Live updates: Camp House wildfire in northern Minnesota forces evacuations

Crews are using aircraft to help assist in fighting the fire. On Monday, firefighters will build fire lines and work toward fire containment, while hoping to limit damage to private land and forest resources, the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center says.

The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office on Sunday said a number of cabins, garages, and other structures have been affected, and several dozen residents in the area had to be evacuated. The Ault Town Hall has been opened for residents impacted by the fire. 

Red Flag warning in effect

Fire danger:

The National Weather Service has expanded a red flag warning to 80 counties in Minnesota due to an extreme fire risk on Monday. Seventy-seven counties were under a red flag warning on Sunday. 

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions, including strong winds, warm temperatures and low humidity, can contribute to the fire risk. If a fire does start, it could spread quickly and become difficult to control.   

Seven counties in southeastern Minnesota are currently not under a warning, but the NWS issued a special weather statement for near-critical fire danger. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lists the state’s fire danger as extreme, meaning that "fire situation is explosive and can result in extensive property damage." 

As of Monday, there is no open burning allowed in Minnesota and campfires are discouraged.