KARE 11
By Dana Thiede
TWO HARBORS, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are on the North Shore Friday morning, taking in the damage caused by wildfires that have devastated some of the most iconic wilderness in Minnesota.
The group arrived at the Incident Command Center at the Lake County Fairground in Two Harbors and started shortly before 10 a.m. with a briefing from the federal team that is now coordinating the response to the Camp Home and Jenkins Creek Fires. The two wildfires – which ignited on Sunday and Monday respectively – have now swallowed more than 30,000 acres between them.
Walz thanked fire crews and volunteers working on the front lines, and then turned his attention to the eventual recovery effort. "Folks want to know what recovery looks like," the governor said, reminding residents that no matter what happens on the federal level, Minnesota has $50 million in a disaster contingency fund that legislators made available.
Klobuchar and Smith both said they have contacted all federal departments that can help both in the firefight and the recovery effort, and promised they will do anything possible to help.
"As usual, northern Minnesota is up to the task... strong," Klobuchar said.
Smith noted that Minnesotans always step up when others are in need, and these fires have turned many lives upside down.
“My heart is with the Minnesotans who have been forced to evacuate their homes and the communities facing these devastating wildfires," Senator Smith told reporters. "In the face of loss and uncertainty, Minnesotans always show up for one another, and I know we’ll get through this together.”
As the press conference was going the skies opened up, with a roar of rain clearly audible on microphones covering the event.
"I have never been happier for rain in my life," Sen. Klobuchar quipped.
An update from the incident team indicates that while 0% contained, the spread of both the Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fires have slowed significantly, growing just a few hundred acres Thursday. Hotshot crews are on the ground, and water-dropping helicopters and planes are helping from the air.
The Camp House fire is currently estimated at 14,852 acres, while a revised estimate puts the Jenkins Creek Fire at 15,571 acres.
Incident commanders note that rain and storms Thursday night that have continued into Friday are also aiding in the fire fight, and the short-term forecast looks good. Showers are expected through the morning into early afternoon, and may redevelop around 7 p.m. into early Saturday.
The cause of both fires remains under investigation.