Roads closed as flames spread. Dozens of fires, many small, have kindled themselves from grass and thrash in a wide arc stretching from Brainerd to Two Harbors.
Largest fire uncontained at 2,000 acres
TWO HARBORS, Minn. — Wildfires raged across the north-central Minnesota lake country, one at 2,000 acres. The summer resort season has yet to start, but year-round local populations were alerted to prepare to evacuate. At Crosslake in Crow Wing County the community center was set up to house evacuees. The largest fires:
> Flanders Fire. 10 miles east of Breezy Point in Crow Wing County, 2,000 acres
> Stewart Trail Fire, three miles north of Twin Harbors in Lake County, 375 acres with 34 structures destroyed .
There were dozens of fires in the parched forests. It was thought that one fire originated when someone losing of a fmallcard board. Other fires are listed as origin uncertain. Local jurisdictions have banned campfire and open burning. “Hotshot” wildland crews from Ontario have been called in. The Minnesota Incident Command System transported bulldozers and tracked vehicles to fires. A temporary flight restriction was ordered to avoid interference with tanker planes making water and retardant drops. Drones also were banned. Many roads were barricaded, including State Highway 61 along Lake Superior and Coujnty Road 2.