Minnesota has sent over 70 wildland firefighters out west to assist in six states, including California, as late-summer wildfires threaten many areas. Leanne Langeberg with the Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids says, “They can be doing a variety of efforts out there, from actually being on the ground wildland firefighters to those that are supporting incident management teams.”
Langeberg says Minnesota’s response is “pretty typical” for this time of year. She says if there were drier conditions here, they’d be holding firefighters back, to be available in Minnesota if needed. Langeberg says pockets of drought remain in some areas of Minnesota, particularly the Arrowhead. She’s urging campers and others to use extra caution as fall approaches.