Minnesota wildfires maps: Evacuation areas, latest information
BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Progress is being made battling the three wildfires in northern Minnesota.
Firefighters are currently battling three wildfires in St. Louis County, north of Duluth. They include:
- Camp House fire: 12,071 acres; 73% contained, cause under investigation
- Jenkins Creek fire: 16,748 acres, 13% contained, human caused
- Munger Shaw fire: 1,259 acres; 95% contained
"This is probably going to go down as one of the more historic fires in our lifetime," St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay told FOX 9 on Wednesday.
Here's the latest on fire boundaries and evacuation orders in St. Louis County (as of 7:30 a.m. on May 21).
Brimson Complex fires map
The Brimson Complex fires containment map as of May 21, 2025.
The Brimson Complex fires include the Camp House fire and the Jenkins Creek fire, and have impacted nearly 30,000 acres as of Monday.
Evacuation areas:
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office has issued evacuation orders for people living near the fires (see map below). You can check the evacuation areas here. Some areas of Lake County have also been impacted. An evacuation map for Lake County is available here.
Click here to find out if your address is in an evacuation zone.
Evacuation areas in St. Louis County as of 7:25 a.m. on May 21, 2025.
St. Louis County Sheriff Ramsay said about one in 10 people do not want to leave their homes when told to evacuate.
Camp House fire
The Camp House fire is north of Brimson and started around 1 p.m. on May 11.
The fire has burned about 12,071 acres as of Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and the Minnesota Incident Command System. The fire is 73% contained.
At least 146 structures have been destroyed in the Camp House fire, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said last week.
Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost more than $4.7 million so far, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
What caused the fire? :
The sheriff says this fire appears to have started with a camp fire that was left unattended. He adds that the DNR has identified the person who started the fire.
Jenkins Creek fire
The Jenkins Creek fire is just northwest of the Camp House fire. It started around 11 a.m. on May 12, 15 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota.
The fire has burned 16,748 acres as of Sunday. The fire is 13% contained.
A couple of structures have been damaged or destroyed, but the sheriff said the fire remains too active to check and get further details.
Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost more than $1.4 million so far.
What caused the fire?:
According to the sheriff, this fire might have started with a discarded cigarette along Highway 16, as it began near a roadway.
Munger Shaw fire
Evacuation areas for the Munger Shaw fire as of May 21, 2025.
The Munger Shaw fire is smaller and is burning south of the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires. It started around 2:30 p.m. on May 12, about two miles east of Elora Lake.
The fire has burned about 1,600 acres as of Monday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire is 95% contained and evacuation orders have been rescinded.
Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost more than $1.2 million so far.
Evacuation areas:
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office lifted the "Go" evacuation order for the Munger Shaw fire on May15. If further evacuations are ordered, the areas can be checked here. Click here to find out if your address is in an evacuation zone.
What caused the fire? :
This fire appears to have started with a bail of hay that caught fire and quickly spread, the sheriff said. The homeowner called 911 immediately, but it was already too late when authorities got there.
Ways to help after Minnesota wildfires
Fridley couple loses cabin in northern Minnesota wildfires
Northern Minnesota homeowners were allowed back Friday to see the devastation that’s come from this week’s wildfires. A Fridley couple lost their cabin.
What you can do:
As of May 13, crews battling the fires were not accepting donations of food and drinks. However, people can donate to the Wildland Fire Federation or the American Red Cross, the Minnesota Incident Command System said.