Minnesota Today®

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity helps firefighting effort, but officials continue to monitor for new fires in windy conditions

Hundreds of firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in the Boundary Waters. Those fire crews saw cooler temperatures and higher humidity Tuesday, which helped efforts to contain the fires — but there were also winds that gusted to near 30 miles per hour. Officials are also monitoring for any new fires that started from lightning strikes earlier this week.

Access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness remains closed through at least Friday. “Go” evacuation orders remain in place for homes, cabins and businesses along the Fernberg Trail east of Ely and along much of the Echo Trail northwest of Ely.

The use of no-knock warrants by law enforcement agencies in Minnesota has declined dramatically since a state law restricting their use went into effect in 2023.

Following two shootings in Minneapolis this weekend, Mayor Jacob Frey announced a temporary increase in police patrols in the city.

After admitting to shooting Minnesota lawmakers, Vance Boelter is now asking to serve his time at a prison outside of Orlando, Fla. Sentencing memos filed by the federal government and Boelter's attorney lay out their positions ahead of a Thursday court hearing. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Boelter should never be free again for shootings that were "the worst form of political violence."

The outdoor manufacturing company Arctic Cat is seeking state funding to aid expansion of its Thief River Falls facility. Arctic Cat's overall improvement and expansion project is estimated to cost more than $50 million dollars. And it could get $5 million of that through a state program called the Minnesota Forward Fund.

Minnesota wildfire efforts looking 'real good' after overnight rain

Mpls. city leaders search for answers after a string of shootings

Prosecutors say Boelter should ‘never be free ever again’ in Minnesota lawmaker shootings