Homes evacuated as grass fire burns in Waseca
Abnormally warm and dry weather is creating dangerous fire conditions in central and southern Minnesota.
Watch CBS News
Abnormally warm and dry weather is creating dangerous fire conditions in central and southern Minnesota.
Officials say a wildfire is burning north of Waseca Sunday afternoon. WCCO's David Schuman captured video of smoke pouring from the blaze.
The state is battling its "largest and most destructive fire in Texas history," and the blaze is only 15% contained, officials said.
Investigators from several insurance companies notified Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy on Thursday that one of its downed utility poles may be a possible cause.
The second-largest wildfire in U.S. history is tearing through northern Texas, and insurance investigators told Xcel Energy they're looking at a downed utility pole as a possible cause.
The National Interstate Fire Center has released data that shows Minnesota and northern Wisconsin will have an increased risk for wildfires this spring.
It's not just smoke from Texas we have to worry about. As Allen Henry reports, our record-breaking warm winter has triggered an early start to our fire season too.
Fire danger in 69 of Wisconsin's 72 counties is classified as "high," according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
It's the middle of the winter, but there are still 149 wildfires burning across Canada, including 2 deemed out of control.
There might be snow outside right now, but it was just a few months ago when the air was filled with smoke. Now, there's new information about how that smoke continues to threaten our clean Minnesota air.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued a reminder to Minnesotans to beware of wildfire risk, as temperatures warm through the weekend.
Wildfires in the U.S. have caused a decline in air quality and an increase in deaths in parts of the U.S. – even though air quality had been improving, researchers say.
A local brewery is serving up more than just beer. WCCO's Kirsten Mitchell has the story.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Friday that he authorized the state's national guard to provide emergency aviation support in fighting severe wildfires in Louisana.
Within a day of the list's release, more than 100 of those on the list or their relatives came forward to say they're safe, the FBI said Friday.
At least 115 people were confirmed dead, Maui County said Monday.
Canada has seen a record number of wildfires this year — contributing to choking smoke in parts of the U.S.
Canadian authorities are warning while we could be dealing with this smoke, they could be dealing with more states of emergency until October.
Speaking to Canadian authorities, WCCO learned their wildfire seasons could last until the fall. Officials are warning we could be dealing with this smoke, they could be dealing with more states of emergency until October.
Here are some organizations accepting donations to assist victims of the disastrous wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
Gov. Josh Green said the state is working toward a moratorium on real estate sales "to make sure that no one is victimized."
County officials are now facing tough questions over what they could have done to warn residents and save lives.
Anxious survivors of the deadly wildfires in Maui are finally being allowed to return home temporarily.
The fires are now being called the largest natural disaster in Hawaii's history.
As the death toll in Maui keeps rising, there is a renewed focus on forest fires and the devastation they can cause.
Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has been fined by the NHL for cross-checking Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman after a heated exchange between the players during Game 5 of the first-round playoff series.
Cole Young had three late-inning RBIs for the Seattle Mariners, including the go-ahead two-run single in the ninth in a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
This time last year, the price was $3 in the metro. Last month it spiked to $3.45 and has been steadily climbing ever since.
A Twin Cities man accused of impersonating a high school student is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday on felony forgery charges.
This summer, you'll be able to relax in a hot tub while floating down the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
This time last year, the price was $3 in the metro. Last month it spiked to $3.45 and has been steadily climbing ever since.
A Twin Cities man accused of impersonating a high school student is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday on felony forgery charges.
This summer, you'll be able to relax in a hot tub while floating down the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
A 69-year-old man is dead after a shooting Wednesday night in north Minneapolis, according to police.
The Southern Anoka County Assistance food shelf (SACA) is expanding to meet a growing need in Columbia Heights.
The carillon has 56 bells, and the Mayo Clinic said that makes it one of the largest instruments in the world and the largest instrument in Minnesota.
Across the country, more than 152 million Americans — or 45% — are living with unhealthy levels of air pollution.
The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the conviction against Adam Fravel, who killed Madeline Kingsbury in 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison.
They were all hospitalized, and the driver's injuries were severe enough to necessitate an airlift, police said.
An ambulance driver hit and killed a moose in northern Minnesota early Monday, with no serious injuries to those in the emergency vehicle.
You may have heard of Give to the Max Day, where people donate millions of dollars to hundreds of nonprofits and organizations across Minnesota on a single day. That idea has spread to western Wisconsin, called Give Big Valleys.
Federal prosecutors say a small-town Wisconsin police chief tried to help California gun dealers import illegal armor-piercing rounds from Europe.
Local and federal law enforcement are investigating after nearly 50 firearms and "a large quantity of ammunition" were stolen from a sporting goods store in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Friday.
Two Minnesotans were killed in a motorcycle crash Wednesday evening in western Wisconsin.
Matthew Keirans used William Woods's identity for decades, then manipulated police into prosecuting Woods, who spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Bobby Rogers once came to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to sketch and study; now he leads its design and editorial work, shaping what visitors see and experience.
Moses Cooper, who has cerebral palsy, met running partner Mark Hulsey through My Team Triumph Minnesota two years ago and the pair qualified for the Boston Marathon at Grandma's Marathon last summer.
Mackenzie Reed, head custodian at Shakopee East Middle School, has painted large-scale murals throughout the building she once attended as a student, creating a more welcoming space for current students.
Kristi comes to the Salvation Army not only to get food, but to shine her light. She talks with and encourages people waiting in line.
The way Mary Hernandez describes it, the effort to keep families off the street in Shakopee, Minnesota, is like trying to keep your head above water.
The Coast Guard will run out of funding to pay personnel on May 1, with the first missed paychecks expected May 15.
Story after story filled the room inside Humboldt High School's auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday evening. The goal: a space for people to talk directly to elected leaders about the impacts of Operation Metro Surge.
The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday cleared $150 million for HCMC hospital in Minneapolis which leaders warn could close in just months if it isn't given a lifeline and fast.
The Minnesota Senate Taxes Committee walked through a large tax bill Wednesday which includes a number of policies, including a special account with funds the state can use to host major sporting events.
Officials from St. Paul to Washington D.C. applauded federal fraud raids on sites across the Twin Cities metro, but it's still unclear what federal investigators actually found or what they were looking for in the first place.
Some Twin Cities rideshare drivers say they may have to leave the road as gas prices continue to increase.
A large investment company is warning anyone with stocks to hold on to your hats. Information from JP Morgan says uncertainty is fueling inflation, but so far the market has been more resilient than expected.
Some Trader Joe's shoppers will get a payout after a lawsuit alleged that the retailer's customer receipts put shoppers at risk of ID theft.
The bill would provide an average refund increase of $171 to homeowners after sharp property tax increases across the state this year.
The bills aim to close what supporters call a gambling law loophole, allowing for these prediction markets to flourish with no regulations.
A Twin Cities man accused of impersonating a high school student is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday on felony forgery charges.
A 69-year-old man is dead after a shooting Wednesday night in north Minneapolis, according to police.
Minneapolis police and public safety leaders pitched their plan to keep the city safe this summer.
Three people have been federally indicted for allegedly assaulting a Turning Point USA contributor during a protest at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis earlier this month.
The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the conviction against Adam Fravel, who killed Madeline Kingsbury in 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison.
There is bipartisan support to help save the hospital, but the state Senate is proposing less money than the House. One former patient has something to say to those lawmakers.
Hold Your Horses is a local nonprofit that provides therapy alongside horses and the natural world for people of all ages and abilities.
Minnesota lawmakers are calling for the humanitarian release of a woman detained earlier this year amid Operation Metro Surge who is suffering from a tennis ball-sized ovarian cyst.
For more than 50 years, Steve Nesseth has answered the call, not for the recognition, but because for him service is simply a way of life.
The media we consume and how long we spend consuming it can impact our mental health. In a world where screens are scrutinized, what is the worst kind of screen time?
Mononymous country music star Hardy is set to kick off the final weekend of the 2026 Minnesota State Fair.
Jake was at the funeral for one of his closest friends when he learned of his parents' deaths, he said.
A previously unreleased song is one of many ways Prince is being honored a decade after his death.
Bobby Rogers once came to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to sketch and study; now he leads its design and editorial work, shaping what visitors see and experience.
A video game is helping people experience the Ojibwe culture in a new way.
Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has been fined by the NHL for cross-checking Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman after a heated exchange between the players during Game 5 of the first-round playoff series.
Cole Young had three late-inning RBIs for the Seattle Mariners, including the go-ahead two-run single in the ninth in a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
The Minnesota Wild are going home with a chance to advance in the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Matt Boldy scored the tiebreaking power-play goal in the final minute of the second period and the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 for a 3-2 lead in the first-round Western Conference series.
Julio Rodriguez hit three doubles, scored twice and drove in two runs, and Josh Naylor had a homer and four RBIs as the Seattle Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 7-1.
The only open Congressional race in Minnesota is in the state's 2nd Congressional District, where the incumbent Rep. Angie Craig is not running for reelection but running for U.S. Senate.
The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district at a +3 for Democratic candidates, which means in recent presidential elections, Democrats have held a narrow 3-point edge.
From the controversies to the name-calling to bathhouse proposals to perhaps not renewing Police Chief Brian O'Hara's contract, it seems the Minneapolis City Council is always giving us something to talk about.
From the controversies to the name-calling to bathhouse proposals to perhaps not renewing Police Chief Brian O'Hara's contract, it seems the Minneapolis City Council is always giving us something to talk about.
Both the DFL and GOP nominating conventions are the last weekend in May 7, and voting for the Aug. 11 primary begins in June.
The carillon has 56 bells, and the Mayo Clinic said that makes it one of the largest instruments in the world and the largest instrument in Minnesota.
When you think of masterful, memorable works of art, grain elevators don't typically come to mind. But in towns across the country, including in Minnesota, they're becoming an unlikely canvas for creativity.
At Arnie Lillo's Creations in Blue Earth County, you can visit a metal-scaled version of the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. The works of art have taken on a shape of their own.
It's one of the largest musky hatcheries in the entire world. John Lauritsen shows us how the Spooner hatchery keeps fish healthy and anglers happy.
Shattuck-St. Mary's is more than a hockey school, but hockey has helped put the school on the map. They have banners and big names to prove it, though the real evidence lies with a man called Rooster.
A symbolic change is bothering some Minnesotans. Now their local leaders are listening; several cities are voting to fly the old state flag instead of the new one. While it was a drastic redesign, it wasn't the first.
Construction season has arrived, potentially adding several minutes to your daily drive to work. So, how bad is the commute in the Twin Cities? Good Question.
The media we consume and how long we spend consuming it can impact our mental health. In a world where screens are scrutinized, what is the worst kind of screen time?
The pet insurance industry is relatively new, and experts say that's partly why there's a low number of policies, but it is growing.
The popular afternoon pick-me-up in a cup is like a super food, supplement and medicine cure-all.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
Thursday kicks off a chilly stretch in the Twin Cities, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Joseph Dames.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Thursday will be chilly in the Twin Cities, with areas of frost early and again in the evening hours.
Thursday kicks off a chilly stretch in the Twin Cities, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Joseph Dames.
We have a frost and freeze alert in place between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Overnight temperature will drop down to the 30s. Our 50 degree temperatures stick around through Friday before we start to warm over the weekend. Chris Shaffer breaks it down and shares just how warm things will get.
This summer, you'll be able to relax in a hot tub while floating down the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
Thursday kicks off a chilly stretch in the Twin Cities, says NEXT Weather meteorologist Joseph Dames.
A man is dead after a shooting Wednesday night in north Minneapolis, police say.
Aimee Bock, the alleged ringleader of the multimillion dollar Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, is due in court Thursday, plus more of the day’s top stories.
Kelvin Luebke, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a high school student, is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday on felony forgery charges.