North Norris and Square Fires

A topographic map yellow dots
Location of the North Norris and Square fires located in Lake of the Woods County, Minn.

North Norris Fire

  • Size: 79 Acres
  • Detected: August 14, 2021
  • Location: 2 miles north historic Norris Camp, Lake of the Woods County, Minn.
  • Incident Management Team: MNICS Team B, Incident Commander Tom Roach
  • Cooperating agencies: Minnesota DNR, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Red Lake Agency, Williams Fire Department, and Warroad EMS

Late in the afternoon of Saturday, August 14th, a wildfire was detected approximately 2-miles north of the historic Norris Camp in Lake of the Woods County, approximately 20 miles southwest of Roosevelt, Minnesota. Located within the Beltrami Island State Forest, the fire actively burned in heavy timber and brush. Several aircraft, including single engine air tankers, a large air tanker and a helicopter, were brought in to provide water and retardant drops to help slow the fire’s spread.

Square Fire

  • Size: 87 Acres
  • Detected: August 15, 2021
  • Location:3 miles northwest of Graceton, Minn., Lake of the Woods County
  • Incident Management Team: MNICS Team B, Incident Commander Tom Roach
  • Cooperating agencies: Minnesota DNR, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Red Lake Agency, Williams Fire Department, and Warroad EMS

Early in the afternoon of Sunday, August 15th, a wildfire was detected actively burning in black spruce and bog. The fire was located in Lake of the Woods County, approximately 3 miles northwest of Graceton, Minnesota. Several aircraft, including single engine air tankers, CL-415 water scoopers and a helicopter were brought in to support the initial attack efforts delivering water and retardant drops to help slow the fire’s spread. Aircraft remained on the fire well into the evening. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The area where both fires were detected in Lake of the Woods County had been under extreme drought conditions since July 20, 2021. Concern for wildfires to take hold in areas of peat soil was high. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ordered a Minnesota Incident Command System (MNICS) Type 3 Incident Management Team to assume management of both fires. The Team provided additional support through the coordination of personnel and equipment and allowed the local DNR area staff to focus on the initial attack for any potential new developing fires.

MNICS Team B, led by Incident Commander Tom Roach, assumed management of the fires on Monday, August 16th. Firefighting crews, including a 20 person Initial Attack hand crew from Ohio, and heavy equipment were utilized to construct and improve control lines around each fire. Aircraft, including two Minnesota Air National Guard Black Hawk helicopters, supported ground crew efforts through water drops that helped to cool hotspots and brought in moisture to dry soil. Aircraft drew from the Winter Road Lake. A third helicopter provided air traffic control between the Black Hawks and ground crews that helped assure safe communication air to ground.

Hot, dry, and windy weather conditions persisted during the initial days following the initial attack, with temperatures ranging in the low to mid-90s and south winds ranging 15 – 25 mph. A favorable weather system with precipitation moved through the area on August 20th. The North Norris fire received more than two inches of rain from the event, and the square fire received approximately one-half inch of rain.

Due to the amount of peat soil that continued to hold heat within the perimeter of the Square fire, containment efforts involved turning and mixing the soil with the top layer of soil that had received favorable moisture from air bucket water drops and recent precipitation. Timber resources that held heat in their root systems were also removed, and the heat was then extinguished by ground firefighters using water pumped in through hoses. Excavators, skidders, and dozers completed the work to turn the soils.

The North Norris was declared 100% contained on August 23rd and went into patrol and monitor status. The Square fire was declared 100% contained on August 24th. MNICS Team transitioned the management of both fires to a local DNR Incident commander and fire crew on Tuesday, August 24th.

  • Heavy equipment next to trees.
  • Heavy equipment and people in open marsh.
  • Firefighter stands next to orange flames in brush.
  • Pink dust falls behind airplane above a forest.
  • Black helicopter with bucket above trees.
  • Black helicopter with orange bucket in the sky.
  • Group of firefighter stand in brush next to blue machine
  • red tank with water and person in yellow shirt next to a pump.
  • Two people spray water on ground.
  • red tank with water and person in yellow shirt next to a pump.
  • Yellow machine next to people spraying water.
  • heavy equipment in a logged area.