How wildland firefighting is changing in Minnesota

Wildfires have become an increasingly dangerous challenge for firefighters. Decades of aggressive fire suppression have allowed dead trees, branches and other vegetation to accumulate, creating more fuel when new fires break out. As the climate warms, increasingly intense wildfires have become harder to contain.

At Minnesota North College's Itasca campus in Grand Rapids, students are learning to tackle those fires with specialized equipment and a different approach to managing the state's forests.

MPR News chief meteorologist Ben Cathey spoke with Lee Kessler, coordinator of the college's natural resources and wildland firefighting program, about changes in wildfire equipment and evolving approaches to fighting fires.

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