MN wildfires: St. Louis County issues local emergency, disaster declarations
The declarations are a "procedural step" that will allow the county to unlock state funding to pay for the ongoing response and recovery activities.
It comes eight days after the Camp House Fire started, and a week since the Jenkins Creek Fire began during hot and dry conditions in northern Minnesota.
As of Monday, the fires are still only partially contained, with gusty winds expected to impact suppression efforts this week. Thus far, more than 150 buildings have been destroyed by the fires.
The declarations will be formally voted upon by the St. Louis County Board on Tuesday morning, with St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsey providing commissioners with an update on the wildfire response.
The county says it continues to work with local cities and townships to conduct damage reports ahead of a submission for public disaster assistance to the Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).
On Monday, authorities said they made "great progress" towards containment of the Camp House Fire, which is now 40% contained as of Monday morning. The Jenkins Creek Fire, which remains at just over 16,000-acres, is only 6% contained, with work continuing to prevent spread to the Skibo and Hoyt Lakes area.
The smaller Munger Shaw Road further south is now 95% contained, with the number of responders delegated to the fire now reducing to 3-5 staff starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday, with management fire transitioned to the local Cloquet Area DNR Forestry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
12-06-2025
- CBS News
Wildfire smoke extends air quality alert until Thursday night for southern Minnesota
NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025 NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025 NEXT Weather: Noon report for Minnesota from June 12, 2025 by Abby Madsen An air quality alert for central and southern Minnesota continues from Wednesday into Thursday until 11 p.m. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the area under the alert starts around Alexandria, Brainerd and Hinckley and extends south. Smoke from Canadian wildfires has been moving into Minnesota behind a cold front, impacting air quality, making it unhealthy for sensitive groups. The alert for northern Minnesota has been canceled. Rain is expected throughout Minnesota Thursday, with the possibility of reducing the smoke levels in the Twin Cities area. Ground-level smoke is expected to linger throughout Thursday and potentially into Friday and Saturday, with cleaner air moving into northern Minnesota starting Friday. For sensitive groups, the air and pollution may affect anyone with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing or fatigue. Reducing outdoor physical activities and taking more breaks are a few ways to prevent these symptoms. Wildfires are also still affecting northern Minnesota; The Jenkins Creek Fire, north of Duluth, Minnesota, which began on May 12, is 94% contained on Thursday. Crews are continuing to work along Bundle Lake Road with drone units looking for any hotspots in the interior of the fire. For the past three days, there hasn't been smoke or heat located in the interior. With a chance of storms moving into Minnesota Friday, they may pass over the fire area, relieving some of the vegetation.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
New program could give Austin's 1st responders more help during emergencies
AUSTIN (KXAN) — When disaster strikes, first responders and their resources can become stretched thin. A new pilot program could help alleviate that pressure through community volunteer efforts. During a severe storm at the end of May, the Austin Fire Department responded to more than 700 emergency calls during the first hours of the severe weather. One person died and others were injured in a series of water rescues during those storms. AFD: 700+ emergency calls made during first few hours of severe weather Wednesday Agencies hope a new pilot program that trains volunteers in emergency preparedness and response will ultimately save lives. The city of Austin's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) said it's launching the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) pilot program this summer. CERT programs offer volunteer training that first responders can rely on during disasters, according to HSEM. These programs are in all 50 states and have expanded to include specialized programs for teenagers, college campuses and workplaces. The three Austin CERT basic courses this summer will focus on fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, shelter management, team organization and disaster preparedness. People who complete the course and training exercise will receive a certificate and CERT kit, which includes a number of preparedness and response tools and items, and a CERT helmet and vest to identify volunteers on-site during response activities, according to HSEM. The launch of the CERT pilot was made possible through a grant, originally written and submitted by HSEM staffer Cindy Hood. HSEM said Hood died after a battle with cancer, and the pilot program is dedicated in her memory. CERT classes will be offered three times this summer as part of the pilot program. Details can be found at The basic classes include 24 hours of instruction over multiple days. HSEM asks that people only sign up if they can commit to finishing the course. Registrants must have a FEMA Student Identification Number (FEMA SID). If you don't already have one, you can register to get a FEMA SID online. Friday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register HERE Monday-Thursday, 1-7 p.m. Register HERE Friday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Register HERE HSEM said participants who complete the courses and exercises will get a certificate and CERT kit, which includes preparedness and response tools, a CERT helmet and a volunteer vest to be worn during response activities. Although not required, HSEM said students are encouraged to take the free, online FEMA Independent Study IS-317: Introduction to CERT course, which will provide some more background to CERT and examples of what CERT volunteers can do during emergencies, HSEM said. Local first responder agencies have been facing struggles with staffing for the last several years. Some Austin-area first responder agencies have reported this year that they're finally slowly recovering from staffing shortages. The Austin Police Department's new chief, Lisa Davis, told KXAN in April that things were going in the right direction in terms of staffing, and she expected vacancy rates to drop significantly over the next few years. A city audit released that month tracked vacancy rates and strategies from 2020 through 2024. During that time, the vacancy rate increased from 7.4% to 18%. Davis said she expected vacancy rates to drop significantly over the next few years. APD hopeful about staffing despite audit claiming ineffective recruitment practices Austin-Travis County EMS Chief of Staff Wesley Hopkins also told KXAN in April that vacancy rates within that department were the best they've been in years. However, later that month, in a document obtained by KXAN, ATCEMS Chief Robert Luckritz said that the agency continues 'to innovate and challenge the status quo of EMS deployment' but that its current mode of operations are 'not sustainable.' Austin-Travis EMS temporary pilot program could free up ambulances 'The department has become increasingly dependent on the use of overtime, on-call pay, and calling employees into work on their days off. As the department approaches full staffing, this model is not sustainable,' he wrote. In the document, he said that a temporary program would be piloted to alleviate pressure on emergency services. The program had ATCEMS start using more 'single paramedic responder vehicles' instead of ambulances on most calls. Single responder vehicles are faster than an ambulance, but can't transport patients. 'I am excited to see Austin HSEM offering advanced emergency preparedness training like CERT to the public,' HSEM Director Jim Redick said in a press release. 'A prepared community is a resilient community. CERT is another way for us to connect with the public and help them ready themselves and their neighborhoods for disaster.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
MN wildfires: Progress continues in fight against Brimson Complex fire
The Brief Firefighter crews are making steady progress against the wildfires in northern Minnesota. The Camp House fire remains at 90% containment with just over 12,000 acres burned. The Jenkins Creek fire is 78% contained as of Sunday, up from 75% on Saturday, with just over 16,000 acres burned. BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) - While the majority of the wildfires in northern Minnesota are under control, authorities warn that some areas with "lingering heat" still pose a risk as tourists visit during the holiday weekend. Camp House fire The Eastern Area Incident Management Team (EAIMT) said on Sunday that the Camp House Fire is still 90% contained with no new growth. Authorities have reassigned resources to prepare for any new fires in the area as tourists are expected to visit during the holiday weekend. Despite the majority of the fires being under control, firefighters say there are still areas with lingering heat that pose risks of spreading. Crews are now focused on patrolling the fire line and extinguishing hot spots. They are also working on suppression repair on contingency lines, restoring disturbed areas, erosion control, removing hazards, protecting natural resources, and repairing fire lines. What caused the fire EAIMT says the fire initially started on private land and moved into the Superior National Forest. It is believed to have started around 1 p.m. on May 11 in Ault Township, about two miles northeast of Brimson, Minnesota. While the report states the cause of the fire is still under investigation, St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay previously told FOX 9 the fire appears to have started with a camp fire that was left unattended. He added that the DNR has identified the person who started the fire. Jenkins Creek fire The Jenkins Creek fire is 78% contained as of Sunday, slightly more than the 75% containment that was reported the day before. Authorities say sunny skies and low humidity could lead to further fire growth, but any growth would be slow due to ongoing containment efforts. Crews are now focused on chipping, hazard tree removal and log hauling operations along the fire's northwest edge in order to reduce roadside fuel. The EAIMT adds that a new incident management team will take over fighting the fire on Tuesday, May 27. What caused the fire The Jenkins Creek Fire started on May 12 near Hoyt Lakes, just north of the Camp House wildfire. The fire was detected east of County Road 110 and north of County Road 16 near Jenkins Creek. EAIMT says the Jenkins Creek fire was caused by human activity, but the investigation is ongoing. The St. Louis County Sheriff previously told FOX 9 the fire might have started with a discarded cigarette along Highway 16, as it began near a roadway. The Source This story uses information shared by the Eastern Area Incident Management Team and past FOX 9 reporting.
