Outdoors

Low humidity, gusty winds challenge firefighters in northern Minnesota
Officials with northern Minnesota's Superior National Forest say they saw a flare-up of fire activity on Sunday as low humidity and gusty winds — combined with the ongoing drought — created dangerous fire conditions.
Swimmers discover zebra mussels have invaded more Minnesota lakes
About 3 percent of Minnesota lakes are infested with zebra mussels, although that number has been growing. They can compete with native species for food and habitat, change the ecology of the lake, cut swimmers’ feet and cause damage to water intake pipes.
Storms bring needed rain to northern Minnesota - but also spark new wildfire
Storms dropped much-needed rain on Minnesota's Superior National Forest. But the rain wasn't enough to break the ongoing drought conditions — and the storms also brought lightning that sparked at least one new wildfire.
Forest Service lifts one BWCA closure order; other parts of wilderness remain closed
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.
As smoke dissipates in Minnesota, health experts urge people to stay aware of air quality
The thick wildfire smoke that choked much of Minnesota earlier in the week has largely dissipated. But while measurements of particulates in the air have receded from record-high levels, the air quality still isn't great across Minnesota.
Rangers clear BWCA closure zone as officials keep eye on Quetico wildfires
Rangers worked through the weekend to reach campers spread across a vast swath of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness that's now closed to visitors amid a growing threat from wildfires just across the Canadian border.
St. Cloud looks to restore old stormwater tunnel for bats
The project will build a new, rerouted storm sewer to replace an existing brick-and-mortar tunnel built in the 1920s. That old tunnel will be restored to provide critical habitat for bats facing population declines due to a deadly fungal disease.
Deepening drought prompts Minnesota to step up response
Minnesota officials have stepped up their drought response as the state grows drier. The drought is threatening water supplies and agriculture, and raising the risk for more wildfires.
Forest Service expands Boundary Waters closure north of Ely amid growing wildfire concerns
Superior National Forest officials on Saturday night issued a new, much larger temporary closure order for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness north of Ely amid growing concerns about the threat posed by wildfires burning just across the Canadian border.
Quetico fires being closely monitored as new Boundary Waters closure takes effect Saturday
Forest Service and firefighting personnel in the U.S. are stepping up their response to wildfires burning in Ontario that threaten to cross the international border into Minnesota's Boundary Waters.