Evacuation order lifted for 1 of 3 wildfires in northern Minnesota
Residents living in the vicinity of one of three wildfires burning in St. Louis County have been told they can return home.
The evacuation order was lifted for areas around the 1,600-acre Munger Shaw Fire, with the news confirmed on Thursday evening by St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsey.
"It was lifted earlier this evening due to the more favorable weather conditions and successful work on preventing further spread, residents have been allowed to return to their properties beginning earlier tonight," Ramsey said.
The fire is now considered 25% contained, according to a Friday update from the Minnesota Incident Command System.
"I'm happy to report the Munger Shaw Fire was much better than it was the last few nights, and hopefully with the rain we received this evening we can take that one off the list," he added.
"Residents will be able to come and go as they need."
The storms that passed through northern Minnesota on Thursday evening dropped around three-quarters of an inch of rain in parts of the Iron Range, bringing much-needed relief to the dry conditions that helped fuel the fire.
But the winds that preceded it caused significant concern for responders particularly those fighting the 15,000-acre Jenkins Creek Fire, which Ramsey said "did continue to expand" on Thursday.
This expansion prompted changes to the evacuation zones, moving the City of Hoyt Lakes into the second-highest alert – "SET" – which recommends residents be prepared to evacuate if needed.
"We had some worries this afternoon when that wind really picked up," Ramsey said. "The heavy wind was gusting to the 30s as the storm moved in, and we we heard there was a gust of 74mph in Hovland.
"We were really concerned about that fire and what was happening with it, however the rain came and diminished the worries significantly for tonight (Thursday)."
While evacuation zones are still in effect for the Jenkins Creek and Camp House fires, authorities said residents would be allowed to return to their homes temporarily during the day on Friday provided they check in with officials at Hugo's Bar in Brimson.
They must be out of the homes by 8 p.m.
BMTN Note: Weather events in isolation can't always be pinned on climate change, but the broader trend of increasingly severe weather and record-breaking extremes seen in Minnesota and across the globe can be attributed directly to the rapidly warming climate caused by human activity. The IPCC has warned that Earth is "firmly on track toward an unlivable world," and says greenhouse gas emissions must be halved by 2030 in order to limit warming to 1.5C, which would prevent the most catastrophic effects on humankind. You can read more here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Spring ended up hotter and wetter than normal in Minnesota
Spring ended up hotter and wetter than normal in Minnesota originally appeared on Bring Me The News. Well, here we are, wrapping up meteorological spring in Minnesota Saturday. Summer, in our world, begins on Sunday, June 1. It was a warmer than normal May and spring for the state. Precipitation on a spring-wide basis was generally above normal but May was a mixed picture. Let's look at May warmer than normal conditions were driven largely by that 10 day heat wave we had in the first month. Despite the last 7 to 10 days of below normal temperatures, it couldn't overcome that "temperature surplus." We averaged anywhere from +1 deg F above normal in the southeast to as much as +6 deg F above normal in northwest Minnesota. Remember Northwest Minnesota bore the brunt of that heat when Hallock hit 100 degrees!Rainfall was highly variable depending on where you were. Central Minnesota saw above normal rainfall thanks to that deluge we had mid-May of up to 4 inches of rain for some. Total May rainfall was 4-5 inches for central and south central Minnesota. Far southern and far northern Minnesota had a dry May however. Those areas missed the soaking rains of May 19-21. Parts of northern Minnesota were behind by as much as 2 inches, meaning they saw just about one tenth of normal May rainfall in some spots. BUT, spring on the whole was mostly wet for the vast majority of the state, including many of those areas that didn't fare as well in May. As for spring temperatures, it was warm statewide just as May was. Spring temperatures averaged +1 to +2 deg F above normal for most of Minnesota which is quite significant when you remember that we're averaging 184 numbers together (92 highs and lows: March 1–May 31). Spring has been somewhat of an enigma in Minnesota in recent years. While most seasons have been warming rapidly, spring has been nearly flat with some warm seasons (such as this year) but also some unusually cold ones with snowy Aprils. The summer outlook officially calls for warmer and drier than normal conditions. As I've stated many times, it's a good wager to bet on a warmer than normal summer without looking at anything but climate data, since almost 75% of summers since 2000 have brought above-average heat. BMTN Note: Weather events in isolation can't always be pinned on climate change, but the broader trend of increasingly severe weather and record-breaking extremes seen in Minnesota and across the globe can be attributed directly to the rapidly warming climate caused by human activity. The IPCC has warned that Earth is "firmly on track toward an unlivable world," and says greenhouse gas emissions must be halved by 2030 in order to limit warming to 1.5C, which would prevent the most catastrophic effects on humankind. You can read more here. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
As Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires fade, a new wildfire ignites in Minnesota
A small wildfire has developed in far northern Minnesota, with authorities saying the likely spark for the fire came from a lightning strike on Thursday, May 22. Called the Horse River Fire, it is currently 5-10 acres in size and located east of Horse River in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is zero percent contained as of midday Friday. Smoke from the fire was detected on Thursday and an aerial survey revealed that the fire is burning in a remote area of the BWCA with "very poor" ground access. "The area is remote and over a mile off any canoe route, and is a mix of swamp and forested vegetation, so access is very challenging," authorities said. The forecast for the area calls for a high near 58 degrees on Friday, with winds out of the north at 5 mph, gusting to 15 mph. The low will drop to approximately 33 degrees overnight amid calm winds. The wind Saturday will also be calm, with a high temp around 60. The Horse River Fire started as the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires are winding down. According to the Eastern Area Incident Management Team, all roads around the Camp House are now open and crews are "just doing cleanups" in the area. The Camp House Fire is 90% contained and has burned 12,071 acres. A total of 311 personnel continue to work the fire. There are still 271 personnel working the Jenkins Creek Fire, which is now 47% contained after burning 16,781 acres. "Helicopters remain assigned to support water drops, reconnaissance, or other fire response needs throughout the day," the management team said Friday. Saint Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsey noted Friday that campfires are "strongly discouraged" over Memorial Day weekend.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Jenkins Creek Fire was human-caused, initial investigation shows
May 21—BRIMSON, Minn. — The largest of the wildfires burning in St. Louis County was likely caused by people. In an update Wednesday, May 21, the Eastern Area Incident Management Team said the initial investigation into the nearly 17,000-acre Jenkins Creek Fire, which started May 12, shows "the fire is related to a human cause." The update noted the investigation is ongoing. The causes of the 12,000-acre Camp House Fire and 1,259-acre Munger Shaw Fire remain "undetermined," according to the Wildfire Incident Information System. Meanwhile, several evacuation orders are being lifted. In St. Louis County, 13 evacuation zones in "go" status were improved to "set" status Tuesday, the sheriff's office reported on Facebook. St. Louis County Highway 33 and County Road 110/Forest Highway 11 also reopened to traffic at 8 a.m. Wednesday. "Property owners are urged to take extra caution in the area," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post Tuesday night. "Be aware that the burned areas may still show smoke from various stumps and debris — this is not of concern when inside the already burned area. However, if smoke or flames are found outside the already burned area or anywhere it is clearly a hazard, please call 911." In Lake County, the only active evacuation zone remaining is the Murphy Lake Road area, Matt Pollmann, the county's emergency management director, said in a Facebook video Tuesday night. "Containment is over 40%, so they are feeling confident with the Camp House Fire," he said. Significant progress was made in containing the perimeter of the Camp House Fire to 73%, the Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team reported Wednesday morning. * Started: May 12 * Acres: 16,748 * Location: 15 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes * Cause: Human-caused * Resources: 223 * Containment: 13% * Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team notes: "Fire: Crews held line around the fire despite the strong, gusting winds. Unmanned Aerial Systems flew five flights during breaks in the wind, detecting areas with heat that were then attacked by ground crews. Today, additional firefighters will be moved from the Camp House Fire to the Jenkins Fire to make a push to connect existing containment lines. The heavy equipment that was working along the southern edge of the fire to masticate (chop up) large fallen debris into wood chips will progress north today. The debris that is chipped up will not burn as hot should fire reach the wood chippings. Over time, the woody chip debris will decompose quicker." * Started: May 11 * Acres: 12,071 * Location: 2 miles northeast of Brimson * Cause: Under investigation * Resources: 365 personnel * Containment: 73% * Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team notes: "Firefighters' steady effort in battling the Camp House Fire over the past week paid off as all existing lines held despite strong winds from the east. Overnight precipitation continued to aid in cooling the fire. Two hotshot crews will continue to work in some of the more challenging terrain to finish connecting portions of the containment line. Other crews will begin moving deeper into the interior from the southern end of the fire to find and put out any smoldering areas inside the containment line. The fire initially started on private land and moved into national forest system lands, and a Forest closure is still in effect." * Started: May 12 * Acres: 1,259 * Location: Southeast of Cotton * Cause: Under investigation * Resources: 9 personnel * Containment: 95% * Cloquet Area DNR Forestry notes: Firefighters are patrolling the area and mopping up isolated hotspots. No fire growth is expected, although high winds are a concern. The Wednesday forecast for the Brimson and Two Harbors area calls for mostly cloudy skies and a high near 56 degrees, with an east wind around 15 mph, gusting as high as 30 mph, the National Weather Service in Duluth reported. A gale warning was in effect Wednesday until 1 p.m. for the North Shore from Two Harbors to Duluth. A frost advisory was in effect from 1 to 9 a.m. Thursday for St. Louis and Lake counties, the NWS said. Temperatures could drop as low as 31 degrees. The forecast for Thursday is sunny, with a high near 65 degrees and a northeast wind around 5 mph. St. Louis and Lake counties will contact residents in their respective counties if they need to evacuate. * St. Louis County's "ready, set, go!" evacuation zone map denotes evacuation status in yellow, orange and red, along with recommended plans to protect residents and their property. * Lake County's "ready, set, go!" evacuation zone map denotes evacuation status in yellow, orange and red, along with recommended plans to protect residents and their property. Evacuation centers are no longer in operation. U.S. Forest Service hotline: 218-206-6805 United Way of Northeastern Minnesota For residents impacted in St. Louis County. It is working to establish a wildfire recovery fund. Immediate assistance is offered through its Comforts of Home program, which replaces lost items with referrals from agencies like the Red Cross and St. Louis County. All proceeds go to impacted community members. * Donate online: * Donate via mail: United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, 608 East Drive, Chisholm, MN 55719. Head of the Lakes United Way For residents impacted in Lake County. All proceeds go to impacted community members. * Donate online: * Donate via mail: Head of the Lakes United Way, 314 W. Superior St. #750, Duluth, MN 55802; include a note indicating "wildfire relief."
