ISABELLA, Minn. — Cooler and wetter conditions in northern Minnesota are credited for helping fire crews get a better handle on the Greenwood Fire in the Superior National Forest.
A fire official told KARE Monday evening that the fire is at 37% containment, compared to 14% earlier in the day. He said completion of containment lines, extinguishing of hot spots and removing dead and fallen trees has helped -- plus a "couple inches of rain didn't hurt."
That's a big change since Friday morning, when officials said it was 0% contained. According to a Saturday morning update from the U.S. Forest Service, the fire stayed at 25,991 acres -- about 40 square miles. It remained at the same size and containment in a Sunday morning update.
Operations Section Chief Pete Glover says 1 3/4 inches of "well received" rain Saturday into Sunday allowed 472 firefighters and personnel on the ground to make progress in building firelines on the west and northwest edges of the Greenwood, and prepare for defensive burning during the coming week. "A great help to the fire," Glover said during a taped briefing Sunday.
Optimism expressed was cautious, as a return to drier conditions and possibly gusty winds were in the forecast later Sunday into Monday.
Due to crews' progress in suppressing the fire, some evacuation orders were lifted over the weekend. Evacuation orders are still in place for areas including McDougal Lake, the Highway 2 corridor, and the Mitawan Lake Road area.
The fire's estimated containment date is Sept. 10, but fire officials have described this as a "ballpark" estimate.
"We are always at the mercy of the weather," Fire Information Officer Clark McCreedy said last week.
In a statement released Monday evening, Dan Williams, executive director of the American Red Cross in northern Minnesota, said the organization would close its shelter in Babbit by 5 p.m., citing "changing needs of those affected" by the ongoing wildfires in northern Minnesota.
"Our neighbors evacuated from or affected by the Greenwood Fire in the Superior National Forest can still access Red Cross information, supplies and assistance by calling 844-292-7677," the statement said. "Our shelter is closing, but the Red Cross is open 24/7 to help those in need."
The Greenwood Fire has been burning since Aug. 15, when officials say it was started by lightning. It has destroyed 14 primary structures, including homes and cabins, and nearly 60 outbuildings.
"My heart goes out to those that did lose property, and I know those crews were doing their best (to) make sure they were trying to save those structures," Lake County Emergency Management Director Matt Pollman said Friday.
The Greenwood Fire is the largest of several wildfires burning in northern Minnesota. Officials said the John Ek and Whelp Fires in the BWCA Wilderness remain at 1,563 acres and 50 acres with no containment.
Crews are using aircraft and heavy ground equipment to fight those two wildfires, including "unique" equipment like an amphibious tractor. Right now there is no personnel fighting either fire, but a few crew members are scouting the John Ek, trying to locate and plan routes to attack the fire if that decision is made.
