Live updates: Camp House wildfire in northern Minnesota destroys homes
Crews battle twin wildfires in northern MN
The Minnesota National Guard is set to join the firefighting efforts in northern Minnesota as twin fires burn in the Superior National Forest.
BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Camp House fire in northeastern Minnesota has destroyed homes and forced evacuations in the area as fire crews work to contain the fire.
Twin wildfires burn in northern Minnesota [AERIALS]
Aerial footage two wildfires are burning in St. Louis County in northern Minnesota, the Camp House and Jenkins Creek wildfires.
Camp House wildfire: The latest
What we know:
The wildfire, named the Camp House fire, started around 1 p.m. on Sunday in Ault Township, about two miles northeast of Brimson, Minnesota.
The fire grew from about 200 acres early Sunday afternoon to around 750 acres in size Sunday night,. By late Monday afternoon, fire officials said the fire had burned an estimated 1,250 acres.
Meanwhile, authorities say the fire has destroyed at least three homes and at least 50 homes and cabins have been evacuated. Some staff members at a nearby camp were also been evacuated.
The fire is burning in mixed forest vegetation with a large quantity of spruce budworm-infested forest stands, the Minnesota Incident Command Center said in a press release around 10:25 a.m. Monday.
Camp House fire in northern Minnesota [RAW]
Firefighting efforts are underway on Sunday to battle the Camp House fire in St. Louis County. Videos by Northland FireWire. These videos are looped.
Crews are using aircraft to fight the fire. On Monday, firefighters will build fire lines and work toward fire containment, while hoping to limit damage to private land and forest resources, the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center says.
Authorities say they will have another update Monday afternoon.
What we don't know:
It's unclear how the fire started.
Evacuations due to wildfire
Camp House fire: Wind making containment difficult
St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay joined FOX 9 All Day on Monday to provide an update on the wildfire in northern Minnesota that has destroyed at least three homes and forced 50 homes and cabins to be evacuated. The fire, named the Camp House fire, started on Friday and has grown to 750 acres, with 0% contained.
Local perspective:
More than 50 structures have been evacuated, including houses and cabins, as of 11 a.m. on Monday, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said.
Evacuation notices went out on Sunday, with the Minnesota Incident Command Center saying the northern line of the evacuation area is Little Creek Road, the eastern line is County Road 151, the southern line is Camp House Road and the western line is Highway 44.
Meanwhile, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office says Highway 44 between Indian Creek Road and Brimson Road (North of Hugo's Bar) will be closed to all through traffic until further notice.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said around 3 p.m. Monday that it is evacuating Langley River Road and Murphy Lake Road due to the Camp House fire. Monday afternoon, the sheriff's office also told residents on the west side of Highway 44 between Indian Lake to Breda Lake to evacuate south.
The sheriff says residents who are evacuating can go to the Friedenberg Township community center located at. 5104 Fish Lake Road
"It is reported that there are many hot spots and flare-ups may continue, making the area unsafe," the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said.
Evacuation orders are in effect through Monday, but the sheriff's office said displaced residents should plan on making arrangements for another night away. You can check the St. Louis County Emergency Management evacuation zone lookup here.
The Ault Town Hall has been opened for residents impacted by the fire.
MN wildfire destroys at least 3 homes
Camp House wildfire is 'heartbreaking': The latest
Northland FireWire's Pete Makowski joins FOX 9 All Day to chat about the red flag warning in Minnesota and the Camp House wildfire in northern Minnesota, which has destroyed at least three homes and has grown to 750 acres.
Why you should care:
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office around 11:40 a.m. Monday said an estimated three houses have burned down.
Camp House evacuated
Northern MN wildfire grows to 750 acres
A wildfire burning in the Superior National Forest amid a Red Flag warning in Minnesota has now grown to 750 acres, officials say.
Dig deeper:
The fire also forced evacuations at Green Lake Lutheran Ministries' Camp House as well. Travis Aufderheide, who is the executive director at the camp, told FOX 9 on Monday the fire passed about a half-mile from the camp around 2 p.m. on Sunday. No campers were on site, but some staff members have been evacuated.
The fire has had no "major" effect on the camp's grounds, but parts of the grounds may have been burned. They are monitoring for worsening conditions, the camp said.
The wildfire was named the Camp House fire, which is a nod to the historical property known as Camp House near Brimson and is owned by Green Lake Lutheran Ministries.
Red Flag warning in effect
Big picture view:
The National Weather Service has expanded a red flag warning to 80 counties in Minnesota due to an extreme fire risk on Monday. Seventy-seven counties were under a red flag warning on Sunday.
A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions, including strong winds, warm temperatures and low humidity, can contribute to the fire risk. If a fire does start, it could spread quickly and become difficult to control.
"Critical Red Flag fire weather conditions are forecast over the area of the fire again [Monday], with low relative humidity, gusty winds and warm temps," Leanne Langeberg, the public information office with the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, told FOX 9 on Monday.
Jenkins Creek fire
Another wildfire nearby:
The Jenkins Creek fire started on Monday, a little northwest of the Camp House fire, in St. Louis County, about 14 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The fire has prompted evacuations in the area, with the U.S. Forest Service in the Superior National Forest saying the fire has "rapidly grown to several hundred acres in size." The Forest Service Cadotte Lake Campground was evacuated Monday afternoon.
Around 4 p.m., the U.S. Forest Service said the fire was now estimated at 800 acres.
Munger Shaw fire
Local perspective:
The St. Louis County Sheriff also warned residents about a third fire burning in Cotton Township on Monday afternoon.
The sheriff says the fire is burning on both sides of Munger Shaw Road south of Three Lakes Road. That fire is about 25 miles southwest of the Brimson area fires.
An evacuation center was being set up at the Cotton Town Hall.
Granite Falls wildfire
Minnesota brush fire burns 150 acres
A brush fire in Granite Falls, Minnesota, burned 150 acres on Sunday during a red flag warning. Here's the latest.
What else:
A brush fire was reported in Granite Falls, Minnesota, on Sunday that burned about 146 acres of wildland, several fence posts, power poles, and multiple hunting stands, according to the Granite Falls Fire Department.
No injuries have been reported.