Go to main contentsGo to main menu
Friday, October 16, 2026 at 3:55 PM

Skraba, Hauschild weigh in on Ely’s wildfire situation

Skraba, Hauschild weigh in on Ely’s wildfire situation
THE LATEST MAP from the U.S. Forest Service shows the wildfires near Ely and the associated evacuation zones with green being ready, yellow being set and red being go. The city of Ely does not have any designations. Areas being evacuated include the entire BWCA along with the Fernberg Cooridor, portions of the Cloquet Line and the northern portion of the Echo Trail. However, St. Louis County Sheriff announced the Echo Trail was closed at North Arm Road.

Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) attended a press conference and briefing with federal and state officials about current conditions facing Northern Minnesota.

As of Wednesday afternoon, wildfires were covering 55,000 acres across Northern Minnesota, leading to the closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, localized evacuations, and air quality alerts across the region and state. Earlier Wednesday morning, Minnesota’s Emergency Executive Council extended the Governor’s Executive Order 26-08, authorizing state assistance and support to impacted areas for an additional 30 days beyond August 11.

“The ongoing wildfires across our region are a serious and dangerous situation, but local, state, and federal resources are being mobilized to contain these fires and to help those affected by them. I am incredibly grateful for the brave men and women on the frontlines working around the clock to combat these fires and to keep people safe,” said Sen. Hauschild. “Right now, the most important thing people can do is to follow the directives of local authorities as the situation on the ground evolves. My office is ready to assist anyone in any way we can, and I encourage people to reach out immediately if they need help.”

PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!
Babbitt Weekly