Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

A state forest in central Minnesota remains closed Monday due to an active wildfire. 

Fifteen firefighters from New Mexico began fighting the Evergreen Forest Fire in Chengwatana State Forest Sunday. They joined Minnesota firefighters who had been battling the blaze since it started on Thursday. 

The DNR closed the forest on Friday, asking the public to avoid the area from between the Chengwatana State Forest Road in the north to the Snake River in the south, running the full width of the state forest from its western boundary to the St. Croix River National Scenic Riverway boundary in the east.

The closure affects 4,500 acres of forest in Pine and Chisago counties. The fire is around 167 acres and is estimated to be 10 percent contained.

Christine Kolinski, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Incident Command System, says dry and warm weather is expected to continue this week.

“We're also concerned and working with something called fall leaf drop, which can cause reburn,” Kolinski said. “So even within the perimeter of the fire, leaves can blow in, and they can hit the hot ground and then start burning.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Minnesota News

Environmental News

Homepage

Disasters

Minnesota Wildfires

Chandra Colvin

Author

MPR News Staff

A state forest in east-central Minnesota remains closed Monday due to an active wildfire.

An aerial view of smoke rising from a forest.

East-central Minnesota wildfire continues to burn in Chengwatana State Forest

Go Deeper.

Like this?