Governor Walz heads to Lake Superior's north shore today to get a first-hand look at efforts to douse a wildfire that's already burned hundreds of acres.
Over the weekend, the governor declared a peacetime emergency for the region.
“Unpredictable and fast-moving wildfires are putting Minnesota communities at risk,” said Walz. “This emergency declaration ensures we can fully mobilize the resources needed to protect lives, support evacuations, and help communities respond and recover. I’m grateful to the firefighters, members of the Minnesota National Guard, and all our first responders working around the clock to keep Minnesotans safe.”
Crews working the Stewart Trail fire have been fighting the flames on the ground and from the air since late last week, and there are reports that the wildfire is more than sixty percent contained.
Some people along the north shore near Two Harbors have lost their homes to the fire.
Operators of Split Rock Lighthouse illuminated the historic beacon over the weekend as a show of support for those affected by the fires.
The situation is bad enough that officials with the DNR are encouraging tourists not to visit Gooseberry Falls State Park while the fires continue to burn.
Split Rock and Gooseberry are two of the more popular state parks in Minnesota.
Highway 61 between Two Harbors and Castle Danger was closed over the weekend.
In Crow Wing County, evacuations continue because of the growing Flanders fire near Breezy Point.
Officials in the Brainerd Lakes area say no homes or primary structures have been touched by this fire, which grew to more than a thousand acres over the weekend.
County road 11 from Cross Lake to State Highway six remains closed because of the fire.
So far reports are the Flanders Fire is 20 percent contained.
