Flanders Fire Burns 600 Acres, Forcing Evacuations as Type 3 Team Takes Command

1 articles · Updated · KAXE · May 17

Crow Wing County's Flanders Fire had burned more than 600 acres by late Saturday after erupting south of Crosslake, with localized evacuations still underway and a shelter operating at the Crosslake Community Center.
30 mph gusts, very dry air and red flag warning conditions drove erratic fire behavior, though officials said higher humidity, lighter winds and possible light rain Sunday could improve firefighting conditions.
Sheriff Eric Klang said no injuries or damage to primary homes were known late Saturday, although some outbuildings likely burned and some cellphone evacuation alerts reached people outside the immediate zone.
A Type 3 Minnesota Incident Command System team is set to assume command Sunday morning, underscoring the scale of what the sheriff called the area's biggest fire in years.

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