Minnesota wildfires containment improves, evacuation zones downgraded

Firefighting crews continue to make progress on the July Lightning Incident that burned more than 64,000 acres in northern Minnesota and an additional 8,400 acres in Canada. Containment levels have risen across the major fires: the Camp Fire is about 39% contained, the Sioux Fire 27%, the Bear Trap and Dark Fires combined 38%, and the Chub Fire 95%. Overall, roughly 1,300 personnel, six Complex Incident Management Teams and a National Incident Management Organization are responding.

Evacuation zones in St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties have been downgraded, though some remain active. Governor Tim Walz and Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson attended a briefing, noting the peacetime emergency remains in effect until Aug. 11. The St. Louis County Sheriff, Gordon Ramsay, called recent fire behavior “encouraging.” Access to parts of the Boundary Waters has reopened for day‑use permits, while overnight permits stay canceled.