Story perspectives

Stewart Trail Fire Spreads, Red Flag Warning Triggers Evacuations

5/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Red Flag Warning for 54 Minnesota counties was issued as the Stewart Trail Fire reached 376 acres near Two Harbors.
The fire, three miles north of Two Harbors, is 0 % contained despite 100 firefighters and aircraft.
Highway 61 at County Highways 2 and 106 closed, diverting traffic through Silver Bay.
Lake County’s “Ready, Set, Go” plan ordered red-zone evacuations and shut businesses like Betty’s Pies, while Governor Tim Walz confirmed agency support.

History

Historical Context

The October 20, 1991 Oakland firestorm, which killed 25 people and razed over 3,300 homes, prompted stricter building codes and coordinated fire-management in the Bay Area. Today, Governor Tim Walz’s red-zone evacuations for the Stewart Trail Fire follow the same red-flag warning system used in 1991, illustrating how that disaster shaped modern wildfire response.

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Story summary

A Red Flag Warning for 54 Minnesota counties was issued as the Stewart Trail Fire reached 376 acres near Two Harbors.
The fire, three miles north of Two Harbors, is 0 % contained despite 100 firefighters and aircraft.
Highway 61 at County Highways 2 and 106 closed, diverting traffic through Silver Bay.
Lake County’s “Ready, Set, Go” plan ordered red-zone evacuations and shut businesses like Betty’s Pies, while Governor Tim Walz confirmed agency support.

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