COTTON — Larry Keough’s son and grandson had just left to respond to the Munger Shaw Fire near Cotton in the late morning of Tuesday, May 13.
The retired 72-year-old said both are part of the local fire department, and they’d just been told the fire was flaring up again.
“They don’t sit here and talk about it,” Keough said. “They just said, ‘The fire’s starting back up. We’re gone.’ And away they went.”
The Munger Shaw Fire is the smallest of three burning in St. Louis County, estimated at 1,400 acres and 0% containment as of Tuesday morning.
The fire began Monday afternoon and quickly moved north, prompting evacuations for eastern Cotton Township. The evacuations were lifted late Monday night, though St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said they may need to be reinstated.
Keough didn’t have to evacuate, but his son and daughter-in-law did. Luckily, they were ready to go.
“We’re always prepared,” Keough said. “We have our important things always on hand, ready to evacuate for whatever reason, and we always have an escape plan. It took us by surprise, but we were all prepared.”
The hardest part was moving the horses and livestock, but they had a plan for where they could go, too. They haven't been moved back home yet.
“We still have everything in a safe place away from home because these forest fires, they can start back up, just like they’re doing,” he said.
Much of the Brimson community was also prepared when the Camp House Fire ignited on Sunday. It’s since grown to nearly 12,000 acres and is 0% contained.
Fairbanks Township Board Chair Karen Updegraff, 65, said the local fire department is central to the community. The entire town board is part of the department.
“Technically, we have our regular board meeting, and we just canceled it,” she said. “‘Cause we’re not actually sure we still have a town hall.”
Their former fire chief was very active in promoting Firewise, she said, helping to prepare the community for wildfires.
“We’ve had a number of Firewise activities, days, to try and prepare for just this,” Updegraff said. “ ... Our place personally we had about 10 acres treated [for fire prevention] last fall, and I think it may have saved us.”
The Firewise program encourages homeowners to make their homes defensible by reducing the density of surrounding forest, stacking firewood away from their homes, keeping trees trimmed and cleaning roofs and gutters, among other suggested actions.
She and her husband live smack dab in the middle of the Camp House Fire.
Updegraff works for the Department of Natural Resources and said she was working with a tree planting crew Sunday when she saw some DNR fire engines leaving.
“I got back to the office, and they said, ‘Do you know there’s a fire on Camp House Road?’ And I said, ‘Oh really?’” she said.
Her husband had already evacuated, but Updegraff was able to return home briefly Sunday evening to grab some things. They’re staying with relatives in Duluth.
When they finally get the all clear to head home — whenever that is — Updegraff said it’s not going to be their home that’s on her mind.
“Mostly concern for my neighbors,” she said.
As his family and community keep a close eye on the Munger Shaw Fire, Keough said the most important thing to do is pray that everyone stays safe.
“Nobody lost their lives yesterday. Nobody lost their homes yesterday,” he said. “ ... For the most part, everything was saved. You can’t ask for anything better than that.”
