Minnesota wildfires prompt evacuations, Highway 61

Lake County officials ordered evacuations and closed part of Highway 61 northeast of Two Harbors on Friday, May 15, as crews responded to a wildfire along the North Shore. Firefighters were working from the ground and the air late Friday on the blaze, known as the Stewart Trail Fire, according to MPR News and the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center. The fire was first detected Friday afternoon and was one of at least 18 wildfires reported in northeastern Minnesota amid gusty winds and dry conditions. A separate Minnesota Pollution Control Agency alert covered west-central and northwest Minnesota, where blowing dust pushed air quality into unhealthy ranges through Friday evening. ### Which fire forced the Highway 61 shutdown near Two Harbors? The Stewart Trail Fire prompted the closure of Highway 61 between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MPR News reported Friday night. Lake County issued evacuation orders for homes and businesses along State Highway 61 and County Road 3 northeast of Two Harbors, according to that report. (mprnews.org) Friday afternoon was when the fire was first detected. By Friday night, the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center estimated the fire at 100 acres and 0% containment, and said multiple local, state and federal agencies were responding with aircraft capable of dropping water and retardant. The center said crews were expected to remain engaged overnight. (mprnews.org) ### How broad was the wildfire activity in northeastern Minnesota? St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said crews responded to 17 wildfires in the county on Friday, and MPR News reported the Stewart Trail Fire near Two Harbors was among at least 18 fires burning across northeastern Minnesota that day. Ramsay said the other St. Louis County fires had been controlled and were in mop-up operations by Friday night. (mprnews.org) Dry conditions and strong winds were part of the backdrop. MPR News described gusty winds and tinder-dry conditions across the region as crews worked on several fires at once. ### Which places were inside the evacuation area? Homes and businesses along Highway 61 and County Road 3 were included in the evacuation zone northeast of Two Harbors, MPR News reported. (mprnews.org) The closure created a long detour for drivers traveling farther up the North Shore. Betty’s Pies, a landmark restaurant on Highway 61, said on Facebook on Friday afternoon that it was “closed for the rest of the day due to a forest fire,” according to MPR News. (mprnews.org) As of Friday night, there was no official word on whether any buildings had been damaged or what caused the fire. ### Was the air quality alert tied to the wildfire near Two Harbors? (mprnews.org) The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said its air quality alert was for west-central and northwest Minnesota and was driven by blowing dust, not the North Shore fire. The alert took effect at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, and was set to run until 9 p.m. on Friday, May 15. (mprnews.org) The MPCA said gusts up to 60 miles per hour were expected to create areas of blowing dust across western Minnesota. The agency forecast red, or unhealthy-for-everyone, Air Quality Index conditions in parts of the alert area, including East Grand Forks, Moorhead, Roseau, and the White Earth and Red Lake Tribal Nations. (pca.state.mn.us) ### What were officials expected to do next? Overnight operations were planned on the Stewart Trail Fire, the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center said in the Friday evening update reported by MPR News. MnDOT’s 511 system remained the state’s public source for road closures, including Highway 61 conditions, while the MPCA said its blowing-dust alert was scheduled to expire at 9 p.m. Friday unless conditions changed. (mprnews.org) (pca.state.mn.us)