Crews Hold Foss Lake Fire In Check, Roughly Half Contained

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Crews working to extinguish the fires at Foss Lake in northern Minnesota said the fire isn't growing.

The fire began as a controlled burn about 10 miles west of Ely but quickly expanded to 1,000 acres late last week.

On Tuesday, Rebecca Manlove with the Superior National Forest said that strong winds "tested the fireline," but they did hold and the fire did not make any progress.

Roughly half the fire is considered contained, Manlove said.

Earlier, crews said that there was no imminent threat to Ely or any other nearby towns.

Manlove said that about a quarter-inch of rain fell on the area overnight, and while that wasn't enough to extinguish it, it did manage to suppress any new fire spread.