National Guard To Help Battle Beltrami County Wildfire

Governor Mark Dayton is calling in the National Guard to help battle a wildfire in Beltrami County.

The 500-acre fire began yesterday in the Beltrami Island State Forest as a result of a DNR-prescribed fire which was intended to manage brushlands in northwest Minnesota.

At this time, the fire is limited to state lands within the Beltrami Island State Forest. Thus far, no structures or private land are threatened.

In ongoing efforts to contain and extinguish the wildfire in Beltrami County, the Minnesota National Guard will provide the assistance of two water-dropping helicopters. The UH60 (Blackhawk) helicopter is capable of dumping 660 gallons of water on the fire at one time. The CH47 (Chinook) helicopter is capable of dumping 2,000 gallons of water on the fire at one time.

Current fire danger in northwest Minnesota is categorized as “very high,” and is expected to remain high for the next several days.