MN wildfires: Authorities say weather helping slow the blazes, 1 fire still uncontained

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18-05-2025

The Brief
The Camp House wildfire is slowly becoming more contained as fire crews take advantage of favorable weather conditions.
The Jenkins Creek wildfire remains uncontained as of Sunday afternoon.
The Munger Shaw wildfire is about 75% contained as of Sunday afternoon.
BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Fire crews are making progress in battling the wildfires in northern Minnesota, with both the Camp House fire and Munger Shaw fire more contained than they were yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Jenkins Creek fire remains uncontained as firefighters prepare for possible drier and gustier conditions returning later this week.
READ MORE: Minnesota wildfires maps: Evacuation areas, latest information
By the numbers
Authorities released the following information on the size of each fire on Sunday morning.
Camp House fire: 12,277 acres (Down from nearly 15,000 acres after improved mapping, fire 31% contained)
Jenkins Creek fire: 16,332 acres (Up from 16,281 acres reported Saturday and down from previously 20,000 acres after improved mapping, fire 0% contained)
Munger Shaw fire: 1,600 acres (Estimated burned acreage remains the same, fire 75% contained)
The St. Louis County sheriff said more than 150 structures have been lost so far and about 30 of those were year-round homes.
Information on Lake County evacuations and road closures can be found here, while information on St. Louis County road closures and evacuations can be found here.
READ MORE: MN state leaders surveying damage after days of historic wildfires
What they're saying
St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said in a social media post on Sunday that the cool and wet weather is helping to slow the fire activity and is giving crews "a chance to make progress on containment and address hot spots."
The sheriff adds there is "no new fire-related information to report at this time" and that evacuation areas are unchanged.
What caused the fires?
The official cause of each fire is still being investigated, but the St. Louis County Sheriff shared the following from investigators:
The Camp House fire is believed to have been caused by an unattended camp fire and the DNR has identified the person who started the fire.
The Jenkins Creek fire may have started with a discarded cigarette along Highway 16, as it began near a roadway.
The Munger Shaw fire appears to have started with a bail of hay that caught fire and quickly spread, despite the homeowner calling 911 immediately.
What's next
Authorities are set to hold a meeting on the Jenkins Creek and Camp House fires on Monday, May 19, at 6 p.m. inside the Mesabi East School District High School Auditorium at 601 North 1st Street West in Aurora, Minnesota.
A link to a livestream of the meeting will be shared on the Minnesota Incident Command System (MNICS) and Superior National Forest Facebook pages.
Dig deeper
Authorities say the Camp House fire is 31% contained as of Sunday afternoon and the fire has not grown in the past four days.
Firefighters are still working to strengthen containment lines on the east and north sides of the fire after establishing containment lines on the south and west sides on Saturday.
Fire activity was reportedly low on Saturday because of the cool and wet weather.
Dig deeper
While the Jenkins Creek wildfire remains uncontained, firefighters are reportedly prioritizing the protection of the Skibo and Hoyt Lakes communities.
Authorities say bulldozer crews extended the containment lines along the northern edge and southern end of the fire.
Firefighters hope to prepare for potentially drier and gustier conditions later in the week.
Dig deeper
Authorities say the Munger Shaw fire is about 75% contained as of Sunday afternoon, up from 50% contained on Saturday.
Evacuation orders for the fire were rescinded Thursday night.
Crews have deployed un-crewed aircraft systems to assist firefighters.
Authorities emphasized that public drone use near a wildfire is illegal, as it poses a serious risk to pilot safety.
People are encouraged to donate to the Wildland Fire Federation or the American Red Cross, the Minnesota Incident Command System said.
The St. Louis County sheriff said donations can also be made to United Way Duluth.
The Source
This story uses updated information from the Eastern Area Incident Management Team, and past FOX 9 reporting.