April 22 – Fayal and Eveleth firefighters conducted wildland fire training in Fayal Township this evening. The training provided the opportunity for crews to observe wildland fire behavior and allowed them to conduct safe and effective firefighting operations.
Fayal and Eveleth firefighters conduct wildland fire training
Chisholm trains with aerial apparatus
April 16 – Chisholm firefighters spent some time this week training with the department’s newest aerial apparatus. The E-One Cyclone has a 95 foot platform and 2,000 gallon per minute (GPM) pump. The apparatus was purchased last August and delivered in October. Since its delivery, department members trained on the aerial throughout the winter. The apparatus is currently housed at the department’s firehall in Balkan Township and is ready for use. It will be permanently stationed at the new Chisholm Public Safety Building, which is scheduled to open in early June.
Pole barn fire in rural Hibbing
April 18 – A pole barn in rural Hibbing was destroyed by fire early this morning. The fire was reported around 2:10 a.m. in the 12000 block of Reid Road. The building was engulfed in flames when Hibbing firefighters arrived and was considered a total loss. The Silica Fire Department was also on the scene. Virginia and Keewatin firefighters were also dispatched, but later cancelled. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Wanted: Colvin Fire Department seeks valve
To reach Chief Sandstede, here’s his email address: sandstedeclan@gmail.com
Large wildland fire in Hibbing, 10 departments on scene
April 16 – Firefighters from nine Iron Range fire departments (Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, Cherry, Clinton, French Township, Mountain Iron, Kinney-Great Scott, Nashwauk) along with the Minnesota DNR battled a huge wildland fire this afternoon near the Mitchell Bridge, along Minnesota Highway 169 in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 1:00 p.m. Dry conditions and high winds pushed the blaze into a salvage yard and threatened the nearby C&L Distributing (Sunny Hill Distributing) warehouse. Several tire piles became engulfed in flames, resulting in large plumes of black smoke filling the sky. Several explosions were also heard. Traffic along the southbound lanes of Highway 169 was reduced to one lane through the efforts of Hibbing Police, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Hibbing Fire Chief Erik Jankila, who was Incident Commander, directed the firefighting operations into a couple of sectors to maximize resources. Incident command was terminated around 5:30 p.m. The cause of fire is under investigation, but may have started from a power line.
The National Weather Service, because of high winds and dry conditions, issued a Red Flag Warning for northeastern Minnesota including: St. Louis, Lake, Cook, and Itasca counties.
Garage destroyed in Donnywood Acres, north of Virginia
April 14 – Fire destroyed a garage this morning in the Donnywood Acres area, north of Virginia. The fire was reported around 9:45 a.m. The garage was engulfed in flames when crews arrived. Departments on the scene included: Pike-Sandy-Britt, Mountain Iron, Virginia, and Cook. The garage is a total loss. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Virginia Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene.
Iconic International Falls Band Shell damaged
April 7 – An early afternoon fire caused extensive damage to the iconic International Falls Band Shell located in Smokey Bear Park. The fire was reported shortly after 1:00 p.m. Because the structure was made mostly of wood, the fire spread quickly and was difficult to bring under control. Fire crews were on the scene for five hours and according to the International Falls Fire Department, the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary. The fire remains under investigation by the International Falls Fire Department, International Falls Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.