Walz, leaders of state agencies give update on northern Minnesota wildfire response

State leaders gave an update late Thursday on the response to wildfires across northern Minnesota, as well as recovery efforts.

Gov. Tim Walz was joined by leaders of both the DNR, the Department of Public Safety and the National Weather Service to also discuss the fire situation and outlook across the state.

Currently, NIMO officials say the Jenkins Creek Fire is 95% contained, and the Horse River Fire located in the Boundary Waters near the Canadian border is still out of control, having burned about 12 acres so far. NIMO says rough terrain is causing difficult conditions for firefighters trying to control that particular fire.

In addition, NIMO officials say rappelers have completed an assessment of fire conditions within the Horse River area of the BWCA after spending multiple days there. Two wildland fire modules are being sent to the area on Thursday to further evaluate suppression options and develop tactics.

Although drone flights found no heat or active burning along the southern and eastern edges of the Jenkins Creek fire, there was some activity to the northeast and east of Skibo, helping firefighters on the ground locate the flames.

Meanwhile, the Camp House fire is 98% contained, according to the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center. As of Wednesday, the Minnesota DNR is now managing that fire and is looking for any lingering hot spots.

In addition, there are some road and recreation sites still closed in the Superior National Forest, and officials add smoke may still be visible until enough rain has fallen over the entire scorched area.

Weather conditions in northern Minnesota are expected to be warmer and drier through the foreseeable future, with high temperatures in the low 80s and lower relative humidity.

Late Thursday morning, the National Incident Management Organization, also known as NIMO, said the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an Air Quality Alert for the area due to smoke also entering the area from wildfires in Canada.

The alert is at the red AQI (air quality index) category, and that affected area covers all of Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties, including the Grand Portage and Fond du Lac Tribal Nations. A red category means air quality is unhealthy for everyone in the coverage area, and the sky may look smoky. The MPCA says you may be able to smell smoke, and the air will appear hazy.

Anyone may begin to have symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, as well as irritated eyes, nose and throats. Anyone with sensitivity to air quality may see worsening of current respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

If you must be outdoors, you should take breaks more often, avoid intense activities and lower the amount of time you spend outside. CLICK HERE for additional information on the alert.

A news conference was held at 11 a.m. You can watch that in full by hitting play on the video player above.