The Minnesota Incident Command Center reports that a wildfire in Carlton County is almost entirely contained. Over the weekend, crews were mopping up the 82-acre fire near Barnum—infrared flights located more hot spots in the western portion of this wildfire.
Officials say the type of vegetation in the area is slowing down progress, particularly the composition of peat soil that provides a long-term fuel source for a wildfire. Thirty-seven crew members with 19 pieces of equipment have worked on this fire since Sept. 4.
All evacuation orders and road closures have been lifted. The MNICS says aircraft may be brought in to assist with the wildfire suppression efforts, and if drones are detected in the area, air operations supporting the fire will stop. The cause of this fire is still under investigation.
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The Beltrami County Board is considering what to do with its current jail in downtown Bemidji as progress continues on a new facility in the city’s Industrial Park. -
The ruling didn’t strictly address the legality of binary triggers, but instead focused on the 1,400-page bill in which the binary trigger ban was included last year. -
MN and other states have brought suits against social media companies using a similar playbook that led to billions in damages levied against Big Tobacco in the 1990s. -
Plus: The Minnesota Attorney General is suing TikTok for violating consumer protection laws; and the International Falls city council is seeking public input on how to rebuild Smokey Bear Park after a fire destroyed its bandshell in 2024. -
The future of a mosaic mural in the Nashwauk-Keewatin High School library is up in the air as the district moves into a new school. A ribbon-cutting is planned for Aug. 20, 2025. -
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office conceded to misconduct in the case against Mylene Vialard, who protested in 2021 at an Enbridge pumping station in Aitkin County. -
The projects are among 15 in Northern Minnesota included in Senate appropriations legislation that now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote. -
Plus: 4 girls were rescued after getting stranded on Lake Superior near Silver Bay; the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers hosted their 49th annual show Aug. 15-17, 2025; MnDOT will host an open house Aug. 20 ahead of a 2027 project in downtown Crookston; and three Northern Minnesota cities received contamination cleanup grants.
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Agricultural heritage was on full display near the Itasca State Park Aug. 15-17, 2025. -
The Itasca County Sheriff's Office said the crash was on Prairie Lake Road on Aug. 17, 2025.
Two fatal accidents were reported in northeastern Minnesota Saturday.
A 22-year-old was killed in a train crash early Saturday morning near Highway 210 in Carlton County. The Sheriff's office reports Brock Hascall of Wright was southbound on Lammi Road when his vehicle was struck by the westbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe train.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported and the incident remains under investigation.
A separate fatal crash in St. Louis County killed three 23-year-olds.
The victims were Darren Tenney of New Richmond, Wisconsin, Joseph Trowbridge of Woodbury and Madison Warren of Oakdale. The crash was around 3 a.m. on Highway 8 near Floodwood.
As drought conditions continue to expand in Minnesota, some areas of the state are now experiencing exceptional drought conditions for the first time since 2021. At this time, the US Drought Monitor classifies more than half of the state in severe, extreme, or exceptional drought, with the rest of the state in moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages all to monitor their water use, with some watersheds in southern Minnesota entering drought-restrictive phases, which requires public water suppliers to implement significant water conservation measures to reduce consumption.
Over the past seven weeks, the DNR has also suspended 107 surface water appropriation permits for non-domestic use across the state in response to the expanding drought conditions.
