Firefighters were strengthening the containment line around the Crosby Fire in George H. Crosby Manitou State Park along the North Shore on Sunday. Minnesota Interagency Fire Center officials said that the fire, which was detected Wednesday, was caused by a lighting strike.
On Saturday, firefighters installed what they call a “hose lay” along the east side of the fire. The system lets firefighters pump water into the fire area and soak what are called “hot spots,” or heavy vegetation, stumps and downed logs that still hold heat.
Officials said Sunday that the fire grew from about 260 acres to 300 acres in the past day, but it’s also now 50 percent contained — 5 percent more than Saturday.
Leanne Langeberg, spokesperson for the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, said about 32 Department of Natural Resources wildland firefighters are fighting the blaze each day.
The state park remains open, but part of the Superior Hiking Trail is temporarily closed between Caribou Falls State Wayside rest area along Minnesota State Highway 61 to the Lake County Road 7, or Cramer Road, access points.
“That’s really out of an abundance of caution,” Langeberg said.
Langeberg urged the public not to fly drones anywhere near the fire. She said firefighters have been using helicopters and small planes “quite a bit” to fight the Crosby Fire and the pilots may not be able to see a drone through all the smoke.
Autumn is the second busiest season for wildfires in Minnesota, Langeberg added. Though the Crosby Fire was started by a lightning strike, most wildfires are caused by people, according to the Minnesota DNR.
“Make sure that campfire is completely out cold, to the point that you can hold your hand on to the ashes and not feel any source of heat,” she said.
Langeberg said the light rain forecasted for Sunday evening won’t be enough to put out the fire but will help firefighting efforts.
“It all depends on the weather,” she said.
