‘Unhealthy’ air quality expected in eastern Minnesota through Monday afternoon due to wildfire smoke

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Authorities in northern Minnesota say lightning is suspected of causing at least three house fires on Monday and early Tuesday.

The latest fire destroyed a home early Tuesday morning on the Whiteface Reservoir in St. Louis County, south of Aurora.

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said two people and two dogs in the home were able to escape before the building was fully engulfed in flames. One of the residents was evaluated by medical personnel, but there were no reports of injuries.

“A thunderstorm had moved through the area prior to” the fire, the sheriff’s office reported. “Occupants of the residence and neighbors reported hearing a very large boom before the fire. A lightning strike is being looked at as a possible contributing factor to the fire.”

Those storms late Monday and early Tuesday also brought winds of more than 60 mph to parts of northern Minnesota, downing trees and causing power outages.

On Monday morning, another round of storms in northwestern Minnesota led to two lightning-sparked fires at homes in East Grand Forks.

 that the fires were reported just minutes apart on opposite sides of the city, and caused significant damage to both homes. There were no reports of injuries.

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One of the fires destroyed a home early Tuesday morning on the Whiteface Reservoir in St. Louis County. The sheriff’s office said two people and two dogs in the home were able to escape before the building was fully engulfed in flames.

Lightning causes at least 3 house fires in northern Minnesota

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