Waseca wildfire: Fire burning on 1,000 acres
MnDOT traffic cameras on I-35 show the large plum of smoke near Waseca. (Minnesota Department of Transportation / Supplied)
WASECA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Crews in southern Minnesota are battling a large wildfire on the northside of Waseca, Minn. Sunday afternoon.
Officials with the county say multiple departments are working to take on the fire. Photos posted by people online show a large fire burning in a brushy area outside of town. Officials were unable to say how many acres had been burned.
In a Facebook post, the Waseca sheriff is asking people to avoid the Snake Trail area due to the fire.
The DNR tells FOX 9 that the early estimate of the fire, from aerial observances, is about 1,000 acres. The DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife firefighters are assisting with the fight.
The National Weather Service says the fire has created enough smoke that it's showing up on radar.
Traffic cameras along I-35 also show a large plume of smoke from the fire.
A red flag alert was issued on Sunday for parts of southern and western Minnesota on Sunday, as dry conditions and windy weather create conditions ripe for wildfires.
The exact cause of the fire in Waseca is not known. As of 9 p.m. Sunday, crews were still battling the blaze.