Wildfire burns around 100 acres in northeastern Minnesota; evacuations advised

Crews are working to put out a wildfire in Lake County that has burned around 100 acres, the Minnesota Incident Command System said Friday night.

The blaze, identified by the agency as the Stewart Trail Fire, was detected on Friday afternoon near Lake County Highway 3 and Highway 61, north of Two Harbors, Minnesota. Officials said in a Facebook post at 8:27 p.m. that the fire was 0% contained and that multiple local, state and federal agencies were responding to it. 

"Firefighters are working to establish a containment line around the fire with handlines and heavy equipment, such as dozers, and are expected to remain engaged overnight as conditions permit," the agency said in the social media post Friday.

Evacuations have been advised between where the fire was first detected and Castle Danger Brewery, according to a map created by county officials.

Officials said Highway 61 at Highway 2 and West Castle Danger Road in Lake County were closed Friday night due to the blaze, and Betty's Pies, a popular restaurant in Two Harbors, posted on social media that it closed early on Friday. 

Multiple structures have been damaged, according to CBS News affiliate Northern News Now, though the extent wasn't immediately known.  

In St. Louis County, Minnesota, 17 wildfires burned on Friday, according to the sheriff's office. Law enforcement said "early indications" are that several were started by residents burning cardboard. All were under control by Friday night. 

According to St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay, the fires in St. Louis County were in "rural areas with sparse population."

A red flag warning was in effect for over 50 Minnesota counties until 9 p.m. Friday due to low relative humidity and strong winds, according to the National Weather Service. 

The Minnesota Incident Command System said the low humidity is expected to continue on Saturday.