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Minnesota Wildfires
Cait Kelley
Updated:

North Shore wildfire now 70% contained. Hiking trail remains closed

Three firefighters work to clear brush and sticks from the forest floor.
Firefighters work to contain the Crosby Fire in northern Minnesota. Officials determined the cause of the fire to be a lightning strike.
Courtesy of Minnesota Ingeragency Fire Center

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Firefighters were strengthening the containment line around the Crosby Fire in George H. Crosby Manitou State Park along the North Shore on Monday. Minnesota Interagency Fire Center officials said that the fire, which was detected Wednesday, was caused by a lighting strike.

On Saturday, firefighters installed what they call a “hose lay” along the east side of the fire. The system lets firefighters pump water into the fire area and soak what are called “hot spots,” or heavy vegetation, stumps and downed logs that still hold heat.

Officials said Sunday that the fire grew from about 260 acres to 300 acres in the past day, but it’s also now 70 percent contained as of Monday morning. Rain overnight helped firefighting efforts. On Sunday, it was 50 percent contained. The size of the fire is still 300 acres.

Leanne Langeberg, spokesperson for the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, said about 32 Department of Natural Resources wildland firefighters are fighting the blaze each day.

The state park remains open, but part of the Superior Hiking Trail is temporarily closed between Caribou Falls State Wayside rest area along Minnesota State Highway 61 to the Lake County Road 7, or Cramer Road, access points. 

“That’s really out of an abundance of caution,” Langeberg said.

Langeberg urged the public not to fly drones anywhere near the fire. She said firefighters have been using helicopters and small planes “quite a bit” to fight the Crosby Fire and the pilots may not be able to see a drone through all the smoke.

Autumn is the second busiest season for wildfires in Minnesota, Langeberg added. Though the Crosby Fire was started by a lightning strike, most wildfires are caused by people, according to the Minnesota DNR.

“Make sure that campfire is completely out cold, to the point that you can hold your hand on to the ashes and not feel any source of heat,” she said.