Air quality alerts spread across Minnesota as fires rage, sending smoke south

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As firefighters battle several large wildfires burning in northeastern Minnesota, evacuations are becoming more frequent for local residents near the fire zones.

Kate Tovsen and her family live about 20 miles outside of Ely in an area with many homes, cabins, lodges and resorts that were under evacuation orders early Tuesday. She evacuated ahead of the “go” order with her three young children.

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“We're just trying to create some sort of fun for the kids throughout this.” said Tovsen, whose oldest child is 5. “It's just so surreal to have to to be a parent managing that situation and having trying to have that conversation and not scare them.”

Tovsen told MPR News she initially evacuated to a resort on White Iron Lake owned by her neighbor’s parents, but as the fires grew she and her children moved to a friend’s cabin in Babbitt. 

Her husband stayed behind at their home an extra day to help pack up more and get the family cat ready. 

“I'm constantly reminding myself that my job is to keep my kids safe, and I'm doing that, and that's that's all I can do,” she said.

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Kate Tovsen, who lives about 20 miles outside of Ely, left her home with her three young children as fires spread in the Boundary Waters. “It's just so surreal to have to to be a parent managing that situation,” she told MPR News.

Mother of three had to evacuate twice as northern fires spread

Mother of three young kids recounts evacuating as northern Minnesota fires neared

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