Environment

Officials are lifting the Boundary Waters closure order related to the Delta Lake fire east of Ely. A much larger closure order remains in effect north of Ely because of concerns about wildfires burning in Ontario.

Unlike this year, Minnesota often has had to contend with high water. Scientists attribute flash flows to more intense rain events and the loss of wetlands that act as natural sponges. New state funding aims to help landowners store more water on their land.

Cities across the state enacted watering restrictions that limit lawn and garden water use. Here are some additional ways you can save water on your own.

The weather numbers clearly show Minnesota is getting warmer and wetter overall, so why is drought the weather story of 2021 in the Upper Midwest?

The hot, mostly dry conditions forecast through the end of July provide no relief to the dire situation. Water levels are low in many lakes and rivers throughout Minnesota, including at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.

Going to the lake is a time-honored summer tradition in Minnesota. But this summer, low water on some Minnesota lakes makes launching watercraft more of a challenge than usual.

Eastern states have been clouded in a smoky haze for days, and with the smoke comes poor air quality. People far away from the fires aren't ready for the breathing problems the smoke brings.

Eden Prairie’s new police car runs on electricity. A lot of thought went into the purchase.

They join a number of communities in Minnesota that have also implemented watering restrictions. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, residents are being asked to water their lawns on an even-odd schedule and to limit watering to mornings and evenings.

Residents in northern Minnesota woke up to thick smoke Tuesday morning that spread from wildfires burning across the border in Canada, and some people around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area are bracing for a severe fire season that will likely last all summer.