Raging Minnesota wildfires destroy over 140 buildings, impact air quality

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. – Relentless wildfires have continued to rapidly grow across parts of northeastern Minnesota north of Lake Superior, destroying at least 144 homes and buildings, after days of unseasonably high temperatures and low humidity. Temperatures will finally cool Wednesday ahead of much-needed rain moving into the area Thursday.

A trio of fires burning in St. Louis and Lake counties have scorched tens of thousands of acres, and evacuations remain in effect.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz activated the state’s National Guard on Monday to help with fire suppression.

Air quality alert issued due to wildfires

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has extended an Air Quality Alert for most of northeastern Minnesota through Wednesday.

The Jenkins Creek fire has now engulfed more than 20,500 acres and remains uncontained. The fire had consumed an undetermined number of buildings as of Tuesday evening. The St. Louis County Sheriff said in a social media post that it was too active to determine an accurate number.

The Camp House Fire, also known as the Brimson Fire, jumped to nearly 15,000 acres. Local officials said that the fire has consumed 146 buildings and counting, mostly along Highway 44, which has been shut down in some places. That fire remains uncontained as well.

A third fire in the area, the Munger Shaw Fire, also called the Three Lakes Fire, has burned 1,700 acres, according to the Sheriff’s Office.  Buildings have also been destroyed in the Munger Shaw Fire, but the sheriff said the number is undetermined. 

Fire Weather Warnings were posted for most of Minnesota outside of Minneapolis, as well as the eastern half of the Dakotas on Tuesday.

Damaging winds likely Wednesday across northern Plains

It will be a busy several days for western Minnesota and the northern Plains as wildfire relief will come in the form of severe weather and a flash flood threat.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the heat will depart Wednesday afternoon, as a strong upper-level disturbance emerges from the West. This disturbance will set the stage for a severe weather event across parts of the Midwest from late Thursday into Thursday night. 

Severe storms are forecast to develop by Wednesday evening, bringing rain and strong wind gusts as the primary threat.

The most meaningful rain will be to the west of the areas currently battling wildfires, but showers and thunderstorms will still bring some overall relief to the region.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 2 out of 4 risk of severe thunderstorms for an area covering parts of the central Dakotas and into central Nebraska on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Flood threat expands into eastern Dakotas, Minnesota by Thursday

The backside of the cold front that will bring severe storms will also provide much-needed rain to areas being scorched by wildfires, beginning Wednesday.

A prolonged period of moderate rain is expected, but a corridor of heavier rain is expected to shift into eastern North Dakota and northern Minnesota by Thursday.

NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood threat covering Wednesday and Thursday for parts of North and South Dakota.