As firefighters continue making progress on the Stewart Trail wildfire near Two Harbors, the governor is planning to meet with first responders and survey the fire damage. That fire is 62% contained.
"These are days we don't ever want to happen, but when they do, the response we've seen so far up here is one that we should all be very proud of, grateful for that," Walz told first responders Monday.
More than 30 structures burned in that fire, but no one was hurt.
In Crow Wing County in north-central Minnesota, the Flanders fire has burned over 1,600 acres, and is 20% contained but there is a solid perimeter with fire fires putting out hot spots.
"This fire could have been 1,000 times worse than what it was," says Cross Lake Mayor Jackson Purfeerst.
Lee Ann Langeberg with Minnesota Inter-Agency Fire Center says the Stewart Trail fire has burned about 360 acres so far.
"Highway 61 does still remain closed, and they're working with local residents that have been directly impacted on a plan to get them back into their homes," Langeberg explains.
She says the weather is not helping.
"The rain that was expected didn't produce as much as they were hoping for, so they'll be working with those kind of drier conditions," says Langeberg. "But humidity's remain higher today, and they'll work with that improved humidity."
She says crews continue working the Flanders wildfire today... focusing on hot spots and reinforcing containment lines
Purfeerst says the DNR was quick to respond with planes to douse the flames in Crow Wing County.
"It is a clear testament to what teamwork truly is, and why having a wildfire prevention plan, which they had, is so important," Purfeerst adds.
