Gov. Tim Walz traveled to Ely on Monday to receive a briefing on northeastern Minnesota’s wildfires and meet with firefighters, National Guard members, local officials, first responders and residents affected by the fires.
The fires, which began after lightning storms moved through the region July 6, have burned more than 64,000 acres across Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties, according to the Governor’s Office. The blazes have been fueled by unusually hot and dry conditions and have required a large-scale response involving state, federal and local agencies.
As of Monday, containment across the fires stood at 53%, with 1,066 personnel assigned to emergency response operations. Crews outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are working to strengthen containment lines, address concentrated pockets of heat and ash pits and protect structures. Within the BWCAW, firefighters are concentrating on securing fire perimeters.
Additional fires west of Echo Lake and east of U.S. Highway 53 are between 95% and 100% contained, according to the Governor’s Office. Crews remain in those areas to patrol for lingering heat and respond to new fire starts caused by changing weather.
“With the continued threat of dangerous and unpredictable fires, I extend my deepest gratitude to the firefighters, National Guard members, and first responders working around the clock to keep Minnesotans safe,” Walz said. “Coordinated response across local, state, and federal partners has made a real difference.”
Walz also praised residents and communities across northeastern Minnesota for supporting people affected by the fires.
“As response efforts continue and recovery begins, we will do everything in our power to support emergency operations and help impacted communities,” Walz said.
The state response comes more than two weeks after Walz declared a peacetime emergency July 12 and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard and other state resources. The Governor’s Executive Council later extended the emergency declaration for an additional 30 days.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is coordinating the response with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, U.S. Forest Service and local emergency responders.
The fire response is also affecting access to the Boundary Waters. The U.S. Forest Service began a phased reopening of portions of the BWCAW Monday, allowing day use at selected entry points.
The Forest Service said Monday that 41 entry points in the central and eastern portions of the wilderness are scheduled to reopen for both day and overnight use beginning July 30, representing roughly 432,500 acres, or 39% of the BWCAW. The reopening could be delayed or changed if fire conditions worsen.
Other portions of the wilderness remain closed because of active fires, smoke, hazardous trees, damaged infrastructure and continued firefighting activity. The Forest Service said public and firefighter safety remains the priority.
The fires have also created economic concerns for Ely and other northeastern Minnesota communities that depend heavily on tourism and Boundary Waters visitors. CBS Minnesota reported Monday that local businesses have been affected by the wilderness closure and associated hazardous air quality.
Walz told reporters he is considering calling a special legislative session in August focused on wildfire response and economic recovery. CBS Minnesota reported that the proposed session could last about a day, with Aug. 11 or Aug. 12 under consideration, although discussions with legislative leaders had not yet been formally completed.
The immediate response remains focused on containing the fires, protecting communities and managing new fire starts as weather conditions change.
The U.S. Forest Service is maintaining current BWCAW closure and reopening information through its official alerts page, while the federal InciWeb system provides updates on the active Superior National Forest wildfires.
