Near Two Harbors, 34 structures burned and Highway 61 closed; in Crow Wing County, a 1,200-acre fire sparked evacuations

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Evacuation orders remained in place for parts of Crow Wing County on Monday as crews continued to battle the Flanders wildfire southeast of Crosslake.

 and had grown to more than 1,600 acres in size by Sunday night — but crews managed to reach 20 percent containment. That means firefighters had created lines they believe will keep the flames from spreading, around 20 percent of the fire perimeter.

The Minnesota Interagency Fire Center said Sunday was a “successful” day for fire crews.

“Weather conditions moderated (Sunday) compared to Saturday with higher relative humidity, cooler temperatures, and lighter winds,” the fire center reported in an 

. “A small night shift of engines and firefighters will remain on the fire overnight and crews will reengage on the fire lines tomorrow morning to continue fire suppression work.”

While weather conditions were favorable, authorities were monitoring for shifting winds that could push the fire in new directions.

The fire is burning in an area that is mostly rural and not heavily populated. But it’s dotted with homes and cabins.

The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office said that as of Sunday afternoon, the fire hadn’t destroyed any homes or other primary structures. It’s possible that some sheds or outbuildings were damaged.

County Road 11 remains closed and authorities are asking people to stay out of the area.

The cause of the Flanders Fire is still under investigation. Tim Engrav, public information officer for the team managing the firefighting effort, said a drought spanning multiple years has left trees and fallen logs tinder dry.

Residents who live near the Flanders Fire were told Saturday to evacuate the area. Others were put on alert to be ready to leave if necessary.

A shelter was set up in Crosslake to house people who had to leave their homes.

Kara Terry, director of community services for Crow Wing County, said the shelter would remain open as long as people needed it. She said several local businesses donated food or offered other help.

“Crosslake is a pretty amazing community, and Crow Wing County overall,” she said. “We have a lot of great folks here.”

Crews are also working to contain a second large wildfire in northern Minnesota — the 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday declared a peacetime emergency and authorized additional state help for the wildfire response in the northern part of the state — including, potentially, personnel and equipment from the Minnesota National Guard.

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Kirsti Marohn

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The fire started Saturday and had grown to more than 1,600 acres in size by Sunday night — but crews managed to reach 20 percent containment. That means firefighters had created lines they believe will keep the flames from spreading, around 20 percent of the fire perimeter.

Smoke billows from a wildfire along a highway

Courtesy of Doug and Mandy Mitchell

A team works on laptops in a conference room.

Evacuation order remains in place as crews battle Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County

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