2025 Minnesota wildfires

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2025 Minnesota wildfires
Camp House Wildfire.jpg
Camp House wildfire
Season
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The 2025 Minnesota wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in Minnesota.

Contents

Background

While "fire season" varies every year in Minnesota, most wildfires occur in April and May. On average, over 1,500 wildfires occur each year, and 75% of those occur in those months. However, there is another small peak in fall. This happens when snow melts, so vegetation begins to dry out, and more dry and windy conditions lead to more fire activity. While precipitation can moisten vegetation, it quickly dries up within an hour. Dry winters can make vegetation much more vulnerable to wildfires. [1] [2] [3]

Summary

In early May, unseasonably warm temperatures, dry fuels, strong winds, and increasing levels of drought influenced the quick spread of the Camp House, Jenkins Creek, and Munger Shaw Fires, which collectively destroyed about 150 structures. The fires were fueled by balsam fir and spruce trees infested by the eastern spruce budworm. The budworms killed trees and made them drop pine needles at an "alarming rate." All of these conditions were considered "unprecedented", and Governor Tim Walz activated National Guard to combat the fires. The wildfires resulted in an air quality alert for Northern Minnesota. About 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) burn in Minnesota every year, but in May alone, these fires burned more than triple the average acreage, over 40,000 acres (16,000 ha). [3] [4] Wetter, cooler conditions allowed firefighters to achieve progress on the fires, and Highway 16 was reopened in evacuated areas. [5]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment date [a] NotesRef.
Dugdale Polk 3,744April 9April 11Undetermined cause. Burned about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Mentor. [7] [8]
Partridge Two Morrison 2,300April 17April 25Human-caused. Burned about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Pierz. [9] [10]
Camp House Lake, St. Louis 12,071May 11June 13Undetermined cause. Destroyed about 150 structures along with the Jenkins Creek Fire, mostly residential and cabins, and led to evacuations near Brimson. Caused by an unattended campfire. Part of the Brimson Complex. [11] [12] [13] [14] [3]
Jenkins Creek St. Louis 16,490May 12June 21Caused by a discarded cigarette. Destroyed about 150 structures along with the Camp House Fire. Part of the Brimson Complex. [15] [14] [3]
Munger Shaw St. Louis 1,259May 12June 16Caused by a bale of hay that caught fire. Destroyed one structure. [16] [17] [14] [5]
2025 Minnesota wildfires
Perimeters of wildfires in the United States during 2025 (Red: >1000 acres) (map data)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out. [6]

References

  1. ↑ Hart, Jessica (March 28, 2025). "DNR says the most wildfires in MN happen in the spring". KARE . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  2. ↑ Buffington, Megan (March 8, 2024). "Dry winter sparks early spring fire season in Minnesota". KAXE . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Livingston, Ian (May 14, 2025). "Several wildfires are burning in Minnesota, fueled by hot and dry conditions". The Washington Post . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  4. ↑ Uren, Adam (May 13, 2025). "Wildfires in northern Minnesota are being fueled by a forest pest". Bring Me The News. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Kraker, Dan; Marhon, Kirsti; Haecherl, Anna (May 19, 2025). "Minnesota wildfire updates: Crews continue to battle fires near Brimson, Hoyt Lakes". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  6. ↑ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Dugdale Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Dugdale - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.stargazette.com. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Partridge Two Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Partridge Two - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.sctimes.com. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Camp House Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Camp House Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  13. ↑ Duxter, Adam (May 17, 2025). "Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fires still raging, homeowners able to see damage for the first time". CBS News. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 Wermus, Katie (May 21, 2025). "MN wildfires: Fire officials confirm Jenkins Creek fire is 'human caused'". Fox 9 KMSP. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Jenkins Creek Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Munger Shaw Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Munger Shaw Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved June 4, 2025.


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