ISABELLA, Minn. – Whipped by strong afternoon winds, the Greenwood Fire exploded to 1,500 acres. Dozens of of cabin owners were told to evacuate the parched area near McDougal Lake 25 miles north of Two Harbors. .Stretches of Minnesota Highway 1 and Lake County Highway 2 were barricaded, as Superior National Forest firefighting strategists moved in fire crews. Governor Tim Walz ordered two National Guard Black Hawk helicopters with water buckets to the fire, as well as tanker trucks from St. Paul and Duluth. The National Guard contingent included 16 soldiers and two pilots. Meanwhile, the Forest Service was monitoring other new fires in hard-to-reach areas. These included the Whelp Fire. Five aces were ignited by lightning Saturday near Sawbill Lake north of Tofte. South of Little Saganaga Lake another blaze grew two acres. Aircraft were dropping water to try to limit their spread.
Greenwood Fire. Plumes from at least nine fiery salient rise from the Greenwood Fire, which in a few hours reached 1,500 acres. Image: U.S. Forest Service