Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is outlining the next steps in the state's BWCA wildfire response on Wednesday.
State leaders are easing wildfire restrictions as the fire emergency winds down - at least for now - in northern Minnesota.
The wildfire peacetime emergency is set to expire next Tuesday, Aug. 11, following significant containment progress, and improved weather conditions over the last week.
Walz highlighted the unified response across local, tribal, and federal partners that successfully protected infrastructure with no loss of life. He says the multi-agency response to the fires has successfully protected all major structures and prevented any loss of life across roughly 65,000 burned acres.
Now, Walz says the focus shifts toward financial recovery.
"I would encourage the legislature to right now start working on a package of relief for the area," the governor announced. "They certainly can get that ready."
Although Walz says a special session is unlikely before the primary, he says formal relief will likely be addressed when the legislature opens in January.
Walz also noted that things can change, and even if the fires are in good shape for now, there's plenty of fire season left.
"And we're actually entering fire season by traditional standards would be right now, so this fight, the resources that went into it, the personnel and everything that's gone into this, was early for that," Walz adds. "With that being said, we're in a good spot on this."
Last week, dozens of entry points in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness reopened after wildfires forced them to close for more than two weeks. As of Tuesday, the largest fire was 40% contained and had burned nearly 38,000 acres.
Multiple other fires have burned tens of thousands of additional acres, according to Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson.
"I want to thank every firefighter, National Guard member, federal partner, law enforcement officer, emergency manager, tribal partner, and volunteer who have stepped up throughout these wildfires," says Jacobson. "Your dedication to public safety and the protection of our northern communities does not go unnoticed."
Elevated burning restrictions remain in place in northeastern Minnesota, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
Fire danger across the state is mostly low to moderate as of Wednesday, but a patch of central Minnesota is in the high category.
Fire danger across the state is mostly low to moderate as of Wednesday, but a patch of central Minnesota is in the high category.
(Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)
