Saint Louis County, Minnesota — State officials painted a bleak picture of the wildfires that are currently consuming vast acreage in St. Louis and Lake Counties, calling the weather and fire conditions “unprecedented.”
Governor Tim Walz and top DNR and Public Safety officials met with reporters Tuesday afternoon to discuss how the state is responding to three major wildfires that have burned nearly 20,000 acres so far.
Walz thanked firefighters and first responders for working on the Camp House, Jenkins Creek, and Munger Shaw wildfires, which literally exploded overnight Monday into Tuesday.
“These are dangerous fires that are still moving, still threatening,” he informed us.
Walz has authorized Minnesota National Guard units to assist in fighting the fires, and Hot Shot crews from Montana, Utah, and Tennessee have already arrived on the scene to handle the heavy lifting.
DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen emphasized how active the wildfire season has been thus far, noting that a typical year sees approximately 1,100 wildfires affecting an average of 12,000 acres. Only five months into 2025, crews have responded to 970 fires, which have burned 37,000 acres.
The Jenkins Creek and Camp House fires have consumed the majority of that acreage thus far, and will be coordinated as a single entity, the Brimson Complex Fire, beginning Wednesday.
The combined fires now cover nearly 19,000 acres, according to St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay, after winds overnight fueled the massive expansion of the Brimson Complex fire. Ramsey also reported that approximately 140 structures had been destroyed.
“I would say historically this will probably go down as one of the biggest fires in the last 10, 20 years,” the deputy told reporters.
The Brimson Complex Fire is currently 0% contained, and crews will continue to attack the flames from the air and the ground.
Another fire event, the Munger Shaw Wildfire north of Hermantown, has spread to 1,400 acres. Residents in this area have not yet been warned to evacuate.
A Red Flag Warning has been issued for 65 of Minnesota’s 87 counties, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-to-high 80s, low humidity, and significant winds. A Red Flag Warning indicates that wildfires are likely to start and spread out of control.
Residents are reminded not to burn in impacted counties and to inspect recent burns to ensure the fire is completely extinguished.
KARE 11 reporter Jennifer Hoff is on the scene of the fire and will provide updates throughout the day and on tonight’s newscasts.