Minnesota DNR seeking $4.3 million in damages from man who started Camp House wildfire
Brimson woman loses everything in Camp House wildfire
The wildfires in northern Minnesota have destroyed more than 140 structures. Some families have been allowed to return home to see what?s left. FOX 9 spoke with a woman who lost her home in the Camp House fire. She built it with her late husband.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is pursuing $4.3 million in damages from the man who started the Camp House wildfire in St. Louis County.
DNR seeks damages from Camp House wildfire
What we know:
The DNR says it is seeking $4.3 million in civil damages for the costs of putting out the Camp House wildfire from the man who started it, Parker John Wilson.
DNR officials say that it is authorized under the Minnesota Wildfire Act to seek compensation for the state's cost recovery for the wildfire, which burned near Brimson, Minnesota. Under the statute, any person who starts a fire that violates the act is liable for full damages to the state.
The $4.3 million does not include private property losses.
What they're saying:
"In determining the total cost the DNR seeks to recover, the agency does not initially consider a defendant's ability to pay," the DNR said in its statement.
Camp House wildfire guilty plea
The backstory:
Wilson pleaded guilty in November 2025 to the forestry offense of "failure to extinguish a fire," a misdemeanor.
He was initially cited by the DNR in September 2025.
Wilson was ordered to pay a total of $190 in court fees after pleading guilty to leaving the camp fire unattended.
The Camp House wildfire burned over 12,070 acres and over 180 structures, including homes and outbuildings.
The Source: A press release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and past FOX 9 reporting.