UPDATE: Stewart Trail fire now 100% contained, all evacuation zones lifted
Residents and property owners can now return to their properties
12:00 P.M. UPDATE: All evacuation zones in relation to the Stewart Trail Fire have been lifted as of noon on Tuesday.
Residents and property owners can now return to their homes and properties.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the fire is 100% contained, and fire personnel will continue monitoring the area to ensure public safety.
Highway 61 is now reopened to traffic as well.
Motorists are asked to use caution on roadways in the area as fire personnel and crews may still be working in the area.
7:00 A.M. TUESDAY UPDATE: As of Monday night, the Stewart Trail Fire is 100% contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
They say the flames burned 356 acres and firefighters secured the fire from spreading any further.
As of a Tuesday morning update, the fire agency reports there is minimal fire behavior and some smoldering.
A closure of Highway 61 between the Stewart River and the Silver Creek tunnel continues.
MnDOT reports that the closure should reopen around 8:00 p.m. Tuesday.
A detour remains between Two Harbors and Silver Bay for those commuting.
Check back for updates.
9 A.M. MONDAY UPDATE: Authorities have now listed a power line as the cause of the Stewart Trail Fire burning more than 350 acres near Two Harbors.
The Minnesota Interagency Fire Center shared that update Monday morning.
The fire first broke out three miles north of Two Harbors Friday and has destroyed 34 structures, including eight homes and 26 outbuildings, since then.
As of Monday morning, containment on the fire is listed as 62 percent.
Authorities have not shed any additional light on how or where exactly the power line caused the fire.
Lake County has also reduced portions of the evacuation zone as of Monday morning.
For the latest evacuation map, click here.
Overnight, two tracked vehicles and two engines patrolled the perimeter of the fire and all structures for flare ups and hot spots.
Monday, firefighters will continue to patrol and grid, systematically searching within the interior fire area for pockets of heat to be extinguished.
A closure of Highway 61 between the Stewart River and the Silver Creek tunnel continues Monday morning.
A detour remains between Two Harbors and Silver Bay.
More rain is also expected in the area later on Monday.
Click here for the latest Northern News Now forecast.
7:00 a.m. Monday UPDATE: The Stewart Trail Fire is now 62% contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center map.
Officials say the fire has burned 355 acres and destroyed 34 structures near Two Harbors. More than 70 personnel are on the scene of the fire, with aircraft and ground crews fighting the blaze.
For the latest evacuation zones, click here.
As of Monday morning, the Highway 61 closure remains in place.
To view current detours, click here.
3:50 p.m. Sunday UPDATE: Parts of the evacuation zone for the Stewart Trail Fire have been reduced Sunday night.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Flood Bay, Fors, East Silver Creek, and Central Castle Danger are no longer active evacuation zones.
They are now “SET” status, meaning that residents need to prepare to leave at a moment’s notice.
A “GO” zone is still in place for Stewart, meaning residents need to evacuate immediately.
Lake County Emergency Management said evacuation changes were made based on the current size, status and behavior of the fire.
They ask residents to carefully review the updated map and determine the status of their area.
Authorities said that due to the evacuation changes and current fire response, they have closed Lake County Arena as a joint evacuation and shelter point.
They noted that the emergency management team is ready to reopen it at a moment’s notice, if necessary.
The Highway 61 detour remains in effect at this time.
However, authorities say portions of Highway 61 will be reopened for local traffic to return to homes in areas no longer under the evacuation order.
For the full update on evacuation orders, click here.
10:00 a.m. Sunday UPDATE: The MNICS Incident Management team shared updates on firefighting efforts, including response to a spot fire Saturday afternoon.
They said firefighters quickly responded with aircraft and ground crews to a spot fire along the northern perimeter, limiting the spread despite high winds and increased fire danger.
Firefighters are working on strengthening control lines with dozers and cold trailing, checking for heat and wet down the southern line.
The size of the fire was updated Saturday night to 355 acres, and it is still 30% contained.
Local fire departments continue structure protection by mopping up to remove any hot spots up to 100 feet around each structure.
Crews also continued containment and monitoring overnight Saturday, watching for flare-ups and areas of heat throughout the entire area.
Evacuation zones remain unchanged as of Sunday morning.
Highway 61 closure remains in place.
To view current detours, click here.
7:00 p.m. Saturday UPDATE: Lake County officials announced Saturday Night that the Stewart Trail fire is at 355 acres and 30% containment.
An estimated 34 structures have been damaged, 8 of which they call primary structures.
126 residents are without power.
They said 48 firefighters are currently battling the fire along with numerous aircraft dropping water and fire-retardant.
Officials say the firefight will continue overnight into Sunday morning, with overnight crews focused on controlling flare-ups.
officials from the Minnesota incident management team say crews have been working hard to establish a containment line...using bulldozers and digging by hand when need be.
There is concern that burnt trees could fall down during the high winds...and residents are not allowed to return to their properties in the evacuation zone yet.
There is no number yet on how many houses have been evacuated, but there continues to be a shelter and evacuation zone at the Lake County Arena.
While many structures have been damaged, Two Harbors’ Fire Chief said many more have been saved.
“As tough as seeing the losses that we’ve suffered, also going through, seeing the positive impact crews had is an important message,” said Chief Mark Schlangen.
Officials say fire conditions have moderated since Friday.
They anticipate a drastic wind change on Sunday, with winds expected from the east.
They noted that containment on the western side of the fire is strong.
forecasted cooler temperatures, humidity and rain are expected to help the fire fight.
10:06 a.m. Saturday UPDATE: Firefighters are working to establish a containment line around the Stewart Trail fire with handlines and heavy equipment, including dozers, the MNICS Incident Management team said.
Crews worked on containment overnight.
Local fire departments worked to protect structures along the Highway 61 corridor.
Firefighters were also able to get a better assessment of the fire size overnight, updating the acreage to 376 acres.
Multiple aircraft delivered water and fire-retardant drops, including helicopters, scoopers, planes, and a single-engine air tanker.
The MNICS Incident Management team said that crews will assess the hand-line firebreak built Friday around the southwest side of the fire, and additional crews will assess the containment line along the western side to put out any hot spots.
Dozers will continue to increase the containment line to the North.
They said they will also continue structural protection throughout the affected area.
A temporary flight restriction is in place, as aircraft will also continue to assist with water and fire-retardant drops.
7:00 a.m. Saturday UPDATE: The Stewart Trail fire burning north of Two Harbors has grown to 375 acres.
Containment remains at 0%.
A type 3 MNICS Incident Management team takes over management of the fire Saturday.
The evacuation area remained unchanged Saturday morning.
The northbound Highway 61 detour takes drivers from Two Harbors, north to County Highway 11 and over to Silver Bay.
The Rustic Inn Cafe reports on Facebook that two its its employees have lost everything in the fire. The restaurant is working to help fire victims Saturday. Below is a link to learn more and help.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/183LTjtwXs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Northern News Now will have a crew in the fire area today hearing from those impacted, as well as officials working to put out the fire. Look for coverage all day online, and tonight on Northern News Now channel 6.
8:20 p.m. UPDATE: The fire remains 0% contained according to a report from the Minnesota Interagency Coordination Center.
Multiple local, state and federal agencies continue to respond to the wildfire and are committed to working overnight as conditions permit to establish a containment line.
There are numerous aircraft dropping water and fire-retardant material. Please do not fly drones in this area. If drones are nearby, emergency airdrops cannot be conducted.
Highway 61 remains closed at County Highway 2 in Two Harbors and at County Highway 106 (West Castle Danger Road) in Castle Danger.
Fire weather conditions are expected to stay at near-critical levels on Saturday due to low humidity. Wind speeds are expected to be lower.
Lake County has begun a ‘Ready, Set, Go’ notification and evacuation plan.
The interactive evacuation map can be found here.
7:42 p.m. UPDATE: Multiple structures are confirmed to have been damaged in the Two Harbors-area wildfire.
Crews are actively working to protect other surrounding structures.
The current evacuation checkpoint is Two Harbors Hockey Arena.
Below is a map of the evacuation plans.
If you are in the yellow area, you are advised to be READY to evacuate.
If you are in the red area, that means GO, and you are advised to evacuate immediately.
4:28 P.M. UPDATE: Businesses along Highway 61 in Two Harbors are evacuating their building and closing for the day due to the wildfire.
According to the well-known Northland restaurant, Betty’s Pies, the business is closed for the rest of the day.
4:08 P.M. UPDATE: Authorities are continuing to respond to the wildfire near Stewart Trail north of Two Harbors along Highway 61.
According to the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, the fire is estimated at 20 to 50 acres and is 0% contained.
U.S. Highway 61 is still impacted. The public is asked to avoid traveling through the area for their safety and the safety of firefighting personnel.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Crews are responding throughout St. Louis County on Friday afternoon.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Highway 61 has been closed in both directions due to wildfire response.
The St. Louis County Sheriff is asking the community to be cautious amid the dry conditions and be aware of the high risk of wild fires.
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