20-05-2025
MN wildfires: St. Louis County issues local emergency, disaster declarations
St. Louis County has declared a state of local emergency and state of local disaster in response to the wildfires that are ravaging part of Superior National Forest.
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.
