Walz Visits Ely as Northeastern Minnesota Wildfires Reach 53% Containment

(KNSI) – Governor Tim Walz traveled to Ely on Monday for a briefing on the wildfires burning across northeastern Minnesota, meeting with fire crews, local officials, first responders, and residents affected by the blazes.

Fires in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness were ignited by lightning storms on July 6th and have since burned more than 64,000 acres across Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties. The conditions that fueled the spread were described by the governor’s office as unprecedented heat and dryness.

Containment across all of the fires stands at 53%, with 1,066 personnel assigned to the emergency response. Outside the wilderness area, crews are strengthening containment lines, working concentrated pockets of heat that include ash pits, and protecting structures. Inside the BWCAW, the focus is on securing fire perimeters.

Separate wildfires west of Echo Lake and east of U.S. Highway 53 are 95% to 100% contained. Crews continue to patrol those areas, put out lingering heat, and respond to weather-related starts as they happen.

Walz thanked the crews working the fire lines.

“With the continued threat of dangerous and unpredictable fires, I extend my deepest gratitude to the firefighters, National Guard members, and first responders working around the clock to keep Minnesotans safe,” Walz said. “Coordinated response across local, state, and federal partners has made a real difference. And across northeastern Minnesota, neighbors have come together, supporting one another and uplifting those hit the hardest. As response efforts continue and recovery begins, we will do everything in our power to support emergency operations and help impacted communities.”

The governor declared a peacetime emergency on July 12th and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard along with additional state resources. The Executive Council later voted to extend that declaration, authorizing continued assistance for another 30 days.

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