Videos show Stewart Trail Fire destruction near Two Harbors, Minnesota
A wildfire several miles north of Two Harbors, Minnesota, has grown to over 350 acres, according to officials.
In a Sunday morning update, the Minnesota Incident Command System says the Stewart Trail Fire is 30% contained as crews continue to work battling the flames.
MICS says numerous aircraft — helicopters, scooper planes and a single-engine airtanker — helped fight the fire by dropping water and fire retardant.
Local departments worked on protecting structures by removing hot spots within 50 yards of any structure. Crews continued containment and monitoring overnight into Sunday, watching for flare-ups.
As of Sunday morning, 34 structures have been destroyed in the fire. The MICS estimates the fire to be 355 acres.
Video posted to social media shows the wildfire scorching trees and structures along Highway 61. The flames can be seen near Betty's Pies, which was among the businesses evacuated.
Evacuations have been ordered in an area between Two Harbors and Castle Danger. More evacuation details can be found on Lake County | Fire Safety & Evacuation.
Authorities have closed Highway 61 at County Highway 2 in Two Harbors and at County Highway 106 in Castle Danger. A detour has been set up for those who need to travel around the area.
Gov. Tim Walz issued a statement on social media Saturday morning.
"We have a number of agencies responding to help communities with the ongoing wildfires up north, including the DNR, MnDOT, and DPS," Walz said. "Grateful to all those stepping into harms way to keep their neighbors safe."
A red flag warning for 15 counties in central and northeast Minnesota was in place for most of Saturday but expired at 9 p.m. However, it is still expected to be windy Sunday, with gusts up to 35 mph in the afternoon.
"When fire risk is this high, it's important to be careful with anything could spark a wildfire," said Mike Warnke, DNR wildfire administrative supervisor.
