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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Three large wildfires in northeastern Minnesota have scorched more than 35,000 acres as of Wednesday, with officials rushing to contain the blazes amid record-setting temperatures and dry conditions.
Communities in several counties remain under evacuation orders and air quality alerts as the fires continue to burn.
Why It Matters
Spring is wildfire season for Minnesota, with the most dangerous time being after snowmelt before the vegetation greens up, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website said.
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However, the state, better known for its harsh winters, is experiencing a rare May heatwave with unusually hot and dry weather, which has exacerbated the wildfire risk.
What to Know
Governor Tim Walz's office enacted the Minnesota National Guard to aid in fighting the fast-growing wildfires which have prompted emergency evacuations and closed several popular recreational areas.
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The rapid expansion of the Camp House Fire, Jenkins Creek Fire and Munger Shaw Fire has alarmed officials. The fires, which began earlier this week, were still uncontained as of Wednesday morning and their causes are still under investigation.
Micah Bell, the public information officer for the Eastern Area Incident Management Team, told Newsweek that power lines, homes and communities, as well as key infrastructure in the area that supports mining and telecommunication operations, are all at risk from the blazes.
Responding agencies have now combined the Camp House Fire and Jenkins Creek Fire into one incident, now called the Brimson Complex, Bell added.
On Wednesday, National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Krystal Lynum signaled there may be some good news for Minnesotans later this week.
Lynum told Newsweek that temperatures and other critical fire condition markers, such as winds and relative humidity, have already begun to drop. Much-needed rainstorms storms are expected to hit the area on Thursday afternoon, which will continue into the evening, bringing as much as an inch of rain.
Camp House Fire
As of the most recent update on Wednesday morning, the Camp House fire was nearing 15,000 acres in size. On Monday evening, the blaze was 1,250 acres.
The fire is still 0 percent contained.
Jenkins Creek Fire
The Jenkins Creek Fire has exploded to more than 20,500 acres. It was measured at 1,500 acres on Monday evening. The most recent update shows the fire is 0 percent contained.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported for the Brimson Complex fires.
Munger Shaw Fire
As of the most recent update, the Munger Shaw Fire is still at around 1,300 acres in size, which was its same size on Monday evening.
It is 0 percent contained.
What People Are Saying
DNR wildfire prevention specialist Karen Harrison said in a Minnesota DNR webpage: "Dry vegetation can easily ignite and start a wildfire that spreads quickly. In these conditions, any spark could become a wildfire. People should use extreme caution until conditions improve."
A Minnesota DNR fire danger map showing the northern half of the state in extreme fire danger: "The fire situation is explosive and can result in extensive property damage."
What Happens Next
Cooler temperatures and rain are expected to arrive by the weekend. An air quality alert issued across the Duluth region is expected to expire by 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
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