Minnesota’s emergency executive council has voted to extend the state of emergency amid ongoing wildfires.
This unanimous approval unlocks 30 days of critical funding and state resources to manage the numerous active blazes in the northeastern part of the state, though forestry experts say this outbreak does not mark the highest number of simultaneous fires in state history.
DNR Forestry Division Director Patty Thielen says this is an unusual event to see in July.
"These fires, we think were all caused by lightning," Thielen explains. "In the past, we haven't had very many fires in the summer. This is a lot of fires to be having, during July."
Emergency personnel are now focused coordinating the rescue of stranded campers near the Canadian border.
This comes as horrific stories from some campers emerge after they were able to get out of the wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Dalton Lammers and Quinn Lammers shared their story with WCCO's Adam and Jordana.
Quinn described the conditions as they left, with heavy smoke, and fear.
"The wind was blasting really like hard and fast, you know, because we are also kayaking from place to place as well as walking," Quinn says.
Dalton added that it's very strange, as they have camped before and worried about the cold - not fires.
"Usually, the problem is packing to make sure that you don't get too cold," he said. But I mean, this year, the three days we were there, I feel like 93 was the lowest temp."
Governor Walz also said rescue crews worked to extract two groups of Minnesota YMCA campers that ended up stranded north of the Canadian border because of wildfires.
"But I am pleased to report that the first group will be out in the next hour. They have been spotted, and the Canadian Air Force is assisting in the extraction. The second group of campers is on a sandbar in the middle, and they are safe at this time. It's going to take a little more, because they're remote, to get to them."
The emergency order has authorized the National Guard to continue to assist with firefighting and relief efforts.
