Minnesota wildfires maps: Evacuation areas, latest information

BRIMSON, Minn. (FOX 9) — Three wildfires continue to burn in northern Minnesota, prompting evacuation orders for people living near the fires. 

Fire crews are currently fighting three growing wildfires in St. Louis County, north of Duluth. They include: 

• Camp House fire: Nearly 15,000 acres
• Jenkins Creek fire: 15,571 acres (This is down from the previously stated 20,000 acres. Fire officials have updated this number “as a result of more accurate readings by infrared drones.”)
• Munger Shaw fire: 1,600 acres

“This is probably going to go down as one of the more historic fires in our lifetime,” St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay told FOX 9 on Wednesday. 

Here’s the latest on fire boundaries and evacuation orders in St. Louis County (as of 6 a.m. on Friday).

Brimson Complex fires map

The Brimson Complex fires include the Camp House fire and the Jenkins Creek fire, and have impacted about 35,000 acres as of Friday. 

The St. Louis County Sheriff said property owners within the Jenkins Creek and Camp House fire evacuation zones will be allowed to enter the area until 8 p.m. on May 16. Residents must be prepared to provide identification and proof of ownership. Furthermore, residents will have to check in prior to entering the zone, and check out with deputies upon leaving. 

Residents in the Camp House area should check in with deputies at Hugo’s Bar. Residents in the Jenkins Creek area should check in at County Road 16 and Highway 11. 

Evacuation areas:

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders for people living near the fires (see map above). You can check the evacuation areas here. Some areas of Lake County have also been impacted. An evacuation map for Lake County is available here.

Click here to find out if your address is in an evacuation zone.

St. Louis County Sheriff Ramsay said about one in 10 people do not want to leave their homes when told to evacuate. 

There are also closures in the Superior National Forest (see closure information below). 

Camp House fire

The Camp House fire is north of Brimson and started around 1 p.m. on May 11.

The fire has burned nearly 15,000 acres (14,979 total acres) as of Friday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and the Minnesota Incident Command System. The fire is 0% contained.

At least 146 structures have been destroyed in the Camp House fire, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost $800,000 so far, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

What caused the fire? :

The sheriff says this fire appears to have started with a camp fire that was left unattended. He adds that the DNR has identified the person who started the fire.

Jenkins Creek fire

The Jenkins Creek fire is just northwest of the Camp House fire. It started around 11 a.m. on May 12, 15 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. 

The fire has burned 15,571 acres as of Friday morning. The fire is 0% contained. 

A couple of structures have been damaged or destroyed, but the sheriff said the fire remains too active to check and get further details. 

Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost $650,000 so far. 

What caused the fire?:

According to the sheriff, this fire might have started with a discarded cigarette along Highway 16, as it began near a roadway.

Munger Shaw fire map

The Munger Shaw fire evacuation area as of 5:45 a.m. a.m. on May 16, 2025.

The Munger Shaw fire is smaller and is burning south of the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires. It started around 2:30 p.m. on May 12, about two miles east of Elora Lake. 

The fire has burned about 1,600 acres as of Friday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire is 0% contained. 

Authorities estimate firefighting efforts have cost $950,000 so far. 

Evacuation areas:

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has lifted the “Go” evacuation order for the Munger Shaw fire as of Thursday night. If further evacuations are ordered, the areas can be checked here. Click here to find out if your address is in an evacuation zone.

“Due to the more favorable weather conditions and the successful work on preventing further fire spread, residents will be allowed to return to their property immediately. We ask that residents be mindful of people working in the area as essential services continue to be restored. Stay vigilant as you drive into areas that have been impacted by the fire as road crews, firefighters, and other personnel are focused on completing their assignments. Please stay alert and pay attention,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on Facebook. 

St. Louis County officials also announced that the two evacuation centers — Fredenberg Community Center and Old School Lives — are closed as people have not needed their services as of late. Anyone who remains evacuated and is looking for resources should call 211.

What caused the fire? :

This fire appears to have started with a bail of hay that caught fire and quickly spread, the sheriff said. The homeowner called 911 immediately, but it was already too late when authorities got there.

Superior National Forest closures due to wildfires

The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday said due to the Brimson Complex fires, which include the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires, the agency has closed a portion of the Laurentian Ranger District, which went into effect at 12:01 p.m. on May 13. 

This closure prohibits visitors from entering campsites, recreation sites, trails, roads and lakes. The recreation sites impacted are: 

You can find a list of updated closures here. 

Ways to help after Minnesota wildfires

What you can do:

As of May 13, crews battling the fires were not accepting donations of food and drinks. However, people can donate to the Wildland Fire Federation or the American Red Cross, the Minnesota Incident Command System said.