MN wildfires: 3 uncontained fires burn 20K+ acres

BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) - For the latest on the wildfires burning in Minnesota, click here. 

Two large wildfires continue to burn in northern Minnesota, destroying hundreds of acres in the Superior National Forest and prompting nearby evacuations. 

Overview of MN wildfires

The backstory:

In an update on Tuesday, St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said the Camp House fire has burned nearly 12,000 acres and the Jenkins Creek fire has burned 6,800 acres. Both fires are 0% contained. 

Homes have been destroyed and residents have been evacuated as crews battle to contain the fires. Monday afternoon, the St. Louis County Sheriff also warned of a third fire burning in Cotton Township, about 25 miles southwest of the Camp House fire. This smaller wildfire, the Munger Shaw Fire, has burned 1,300 acres and is 0% contained as of Tuesday morning.

A Red Flag warning has been in effect in recent days, meaning conditions are ripe for the fires to continue to spread.

What's next:

Sheriff Ramsay said on Tuesday they will provide updates throughout the day as the situation develops.

Other press conferences have been scheduled for Tuesday, including Gov. Tim Walz's wildfire briefing at 12:30 p.m., and a briefing with fire officials in Two Harbors at 11:30 a.m.

Potential causes of the 3 wildfires

What they're saying:

St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay joined FOX 9’s All Day on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the latest on the three uncontained wildfires burning in northern Minnesota, including the potential causes.

According to the sheriff, the Camp House fire appears to have been started by an unattended campfire. The DNR is said to have identified the owners of the campfire, and is currently investigating the situation. 

The Jensen Creek fire may have been caused by someone discarding a cigarette as they passed by Highway 16, as the fire appears to have started at the roadway. 

The Munger Shaw fire is believed to have started on a farm when a bale of hay caught on fire and quickly spread. The sheriff explained the homeowner called immediately but "it was already too late by the time fire crews got there."

All the fires remain under investigation. 

Camp House Fire 

The backstory:

The wildfire, named the Camp House fire, started around 1 p.m. on Sunday in Ault Township, about two miles northeast of Brimson, Minnesota. The fire grew from about 200 acres early Sunday afternoon to around 750 acres in size Sunday night. By late Monday afternoon, fire officials said the fire had burned an estimated 1,250 acres and was actively burning.

Meanwhile, three homes have been destroyed, and at least another 50 homes and cabins have been evacuated. Some staff members at a nearby camp were also evacuated. Gov. Tim Walz announced on Monday he was deploying the National Guard to assist in battling the fires. 

Tuesday 8:15 a.m. update:

The Camp House fire has expanded to 12,000 acres and is at 0% containment. The fire has destroyed more than 40 structures, homes and cabins. 

Sheriff Ramsay said the Minnesota DNR is predicting another heavy fire day with dangerous conditions. Additionally, a lot of the burned trees have been falling over and causing access issues to roads and driveways. 

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted. The area around the [Camp House fire] Highway 44 has been devastated by this fire," said Sheriff Ramsay in a video on Facebook. 

The evacuation order remains in place and fire officials are adding additional air support to help battle the flames. The MNICS Incident Management Team C is coordinating firefighting efforts and resources.

11:30 a.m. update:

Sheriff Ramsay said the Camp House Fire near Brimson is moving north, prompting the Fire Incident Command to close Highway 16 from its intersection with Highway 110 to the intersection of Lake County Highway 15 and Highway 2. Traffic is being redirected north, and the public is advised to avoid the area. 

Officials say the fire has been active over the past two days with the burning period going into the night, and Tuesday is expected to be another active fire day. Air resources continue to do water drops, while in-state and out-of-state resources build fire lines. There are an estimated 80 personnel battling this wildfire, in addition to 32 fire engines,10-person crew, six tracked vehicles, six dozers, and 12 water tenders and air support. 

Agencies assisting include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, Two Harbors Fire Department, Finland Fire Department, Silver Bay Fire Department and Brimson Volunteer Fire Department, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Fire Service Specialists, St. Louis County Emergency Management, St. Louis County Rescue Squad, and Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and Lake County Emergency Management.

Jenkins Creek Fire 

Tuesday morning update:

Fire crews started battling a second wildfire near Hoyt Lakes, just north of the Camp House wildfire, on Monday afternoon. The fire was detected east of County Road 110 and north of County Road 16 near Jenkins Creek. 

The wildfire, named the Jenkins Creek fire, burned an estimated 1,500 acres as of Monday night. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had burned 6,800 acres and is at 0% containment. 

Officials are predicting the fire will grow throughout the day, and likely impact national forest areas. Sheriff Ramsay said there is concern that the fire will keep spreading north and head into some more populated areas. 

Aircraft assisted in the suppression efforts on Monday and will continue to provide support throughout the day on Tuesday, the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center said in a news release. The MNICS Incident Management Team A is coordinating firefighting efforts and resources. 

It's expected additional areas will be evacuated on Tuesday. At least one structure has been lost in the fire.

Noon update:

According to the Minnesota Incident Command System (MNICS), the Jenkins Creek Fire rapidly spread on Monday due to strong southerly winds. The wildfire is putting the community of Skibo, the Skibo Mill and the Canadian National Railroad at risk.

Aircraft are being used to help slow the spread of the fire, protect private property and contain the fire’s edge in key locations. Ground crews will engage when conditions allow, as the terrain poses significant challenges. There are 22 personnel battling the wildfire, with assistance from one engine, three dozers, three tracked vehicles and air support. 

"Public and firefighter safety are the highest priority and ground access could be limited due to swamps, rivers and lack of forest roads in the area," MNICS said in a press release. 

An Eastern Area Complex Incident Command Team will take over the Jenkins Creek Fire and Camp House fire on Wednesday morning. 

Monday night update:

In an update on Monday night, officials said the fire had moved into some areas with limited ground access. The smoke has also triggered an air quality alert for some in northeastern Minnesota. Fire officials have been using airplanes and helicopters to drop water on the fire in an effort to slow the spread and protect private property. 

"Working in 85-90 degree temperatures, all of these contract aircraft, local fire department volunteers, state employees, and federal employees have been working their hardest and best to suppress this fire under extremely challenging conditions," read a social media post from the U.S. Forest Service Superior National Forest. "Local law enforcement and rescue squad volunteers have been managing evacuation notices and area closures. Additional personnel and equipment have been ordered and the work is just beginning." 

Munger Shaw Fire

Tuesday morning update:

The Minnesota Interagency Fire Center said a third fire, the Munger Shaw Fire, developed on Monday afternoon in Cotton Township, about 25 miles southwest of the Camp House fire. 

The fire has spread to 1,600 acres and is 0% contained as of Tuesday morning. Firefighters and multiple aircraft responded to the wildfire on Monday, and will continue with suppression efforts on Tuesday. 

Officials evacuated homes on Three Lakes Road, but residents were able to return on Monday night. However, if the fire becomes a danger again, Sheriff Ramsay said those evacuations could be reinstated. 

It's unclear whether any structures have been damaged by this wildfire.

Intense stretch of wildfires

Context:

Typically, Minnesota sees about 1,100 wildfires per year, which account for about 12,000 acres of damage on average. However, this year, there have been 970 fires that have burned 37,000 acres. On Sunday alone, officials said there were 40 fires, and another 40 on Monday. Many of those have been contained. But the three largest continue to grow without containment.

A Red Flag Warning has been in effect over the last few days due to weather conditions that make conditions ripe for fires to spread.

"With these conditions, none of the current fires across the state are easily suppressed, and they require considerable time and resources to extinguish," explained DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen.

Relief in sight?

Forecast:

While weather conditions make it difficult for firefighters to stop the fires, leaders hope rain in the forecast can provide some relief.

"We are hopeful that the forecast for lower temperatures and precipitation on Thursday will give us a little bit of a break," said Thielen.

FOX 9's forecast shows the potential for rain on both Thursday and Friday, but it could be hit and miss.

Red Flag Warning 

What else:

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for 65 counties on Tuesday, down from 80 counties on Monday. 

The affected counties include Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Lake, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Watonwan, Wilkin, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.

A special weather statement has been issued for 12 counties in east-central and southeastern Minnesota due to the elevated fire weather conditions, including low humidity and high winds.

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 Tuesday, there is no open burning allowed in Minnesota and campfires are discouraged. 

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