Greenwood Fire grows to around 2,000 acres; dozens of homes evacuated

A wildfire in Superior National Forest has nearly doubled in size to around 2,000 acres and is forcing evacuations.

The U.S. Forest Service said late Monday night that the fire’s behavior was "extreme with torching and long-range spotting."

Authorities are using aircraft to limit the fire’s spread to the north. Officials currently have two helicopters, one fixed-wing aircraft, eight engines, two dozers and two tracked vehicles battling the fire, which is outside the wilderness area and threatening cabins, homes and recreational sites, the Forest Service says.

About 75 homes were told to evacuate, officials said.

Another incident management team has been ordered to allow local firefighters to be available for any new fire starts. The Forest Service added that a Type 2 Incident Command Team was briefed Monday night and will assume full command on Wednesday morning.

The fire forced Highway 2 from Forest Highway 11 to Highway 1 to close. Additionally, Highway 1 from New Tomahawk Road to Lankinen Road is closed.

Further updates on the wildfire are expected at a later time.

Additionally, the Minnesota Incident Command System said the North Norris Fire, which is about 20 miles southwest of Roosevelt in Lake of the Woods County, is still about 80 acres in size, which is about the same as it was on Monday. That fire was first detected on Saturday afternoon.

The Square Fire, which is about three miles northwest of Graceton in Lake of the Woods County, grew from about 60 acres on Monday to around 75 acres on Tuesday. The fire was initially detected on Sunday afternoon.