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A recent snowstorm brought welcome relief, but emergency officials both in St. Louis County and Ely remain on alert to the dangers of potential spring wildfires.
An evacuation plan that is now online was the subject when police officer and local emergency manager Bradley Roy addressed city council members this week, and Roy was also part of a Duluth news conference Wednesday as a slew of agencies reported efforts to plan and prepare for possible wildfires.
“I just want to emphasize the cooperation that all the agencies and departments have when we’re working and preparing,” said Josh Brinkman, St. Louis County Emergency Operations Manager. “We’re talking all hazards, all the time, so we’re ready for it. We can put our heads together to come up with the best possible solutions.”
Roy told council members Tuesday about the interactive map that is now live on the city’s website at www.ely. mn.us.
“We just finished up with that,” said Roy. “Basically what it is, it will update residents in real time.”
St. Louis County Emergency Operations Manager Josh Brinkman talks about efforts by the county and regional partners to prepare for spring wildfires, including the launch of a new online mapping tool. Looking on are Brad Roy, Ely Emergency Management Director; Woody Unruh, National Weather Service; Tom Hall, Superior National Forest; Laura Murphy, DNR Firewise Specialist; and Shawn Krizaj, Duluth Fire Chief.
Ely joins county in setting up online map showing evacuation zones The city has been divided into five evacuation zones and anyone may go online and click on the map, or search for an address, to determine what evacuation zone a particular property is in.
In the event of a real emergency, the map would be updated and include specific instructions related to evacuation.
That was a concern for council member Al Forsman.
“Say if an evacuation order was given, people may have their evacuation safe place be their daughter’s house on Highway 1,” said Forsman. “Would there be instructions say if Highway 1 was closed?”
“When an event is happening it will have a bunch of things on there such as suggested evacuation routes,” said Roy.
Council member Jerome Debeltz also sought assurance that there will be other means of communication in case there are senior citizens or others who do not have access or don’t know how to access the technology.
“If it gets to the point that we are evacuating, we will be going door to door as well,” said Roy. “There are many different ways, not just electronic. This is another tool.”
The website will also offer various tips for evacuation, including preparation for such an event.
Agencies represented at the news conference in Duluth Wednesday included St. Louis County Sheriff’s Emergency Management, US Forest Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, National Weather Service - Duluth, and the cities of Ely and Duluth. These and other jurisdictions have been working throughout the winter to update plans and prepare for potential wildfires St. Louis County unveiled its own new online mapping tool that breaks the county into 1,600 evacuation zones, enabling residents to view the fire risk level specific to their community or neighborhood. The map follows the Ready, Set, Go model so people can prepare and - if necessary evacuate. The map can be accessed at stlouiscountymn. gov/wildfire. The Ely map is compatible with the county map.
The web page also includes tips for reducing fire risk to property, as well as checklists on what to have packed and ready should a person or family need to evacuate quickly.
Other St. Louis County preparations include: Public Health has been working with the American Red Cross to update potential evacuation sites that could be used as emergency shelters. Meanwhile, Public Works has been clearing brush from along roadways to remove potential fuels and ensure roads are passable for emergency vehicles in the event of fire.
The National Weather Service - Duluth has been a valuable partner in planning efforts, providing forecasts and historical data to aid agencies as they prepare. Most of St. Louis County is experiencing moderate drought conditions.
“It’s very unusual to have drought conditions worsen during the winter because we normally have a large snowpack in place,” said Meteorologist Woody Unruh.
Above normal temperatures are forecast for the next several weeks through the end of April, which will lead to rapid snow melt and a return to dangerous fire conditions until vegetation greens up. “What typically happens in May, we’re seeing in April,” said Unruh.
US Forest Service staff in the Superior National Forest have been preparing through the winter to ensure agreements are in place for staffing and equipment to respond if a fire occurs.
“At a national level, we are able to mobilize resources if conditions worsen,” said Forest Supervisor Tom Hall. “The predictive services are showing we have above average risk of wildfires.”
Laura Murphy, a Firewise Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provided tips for homeowners to reduce threats to their property. Advice includes cleaning out gutters and clearing leaves and needles off rooftops, and removing flammable items - ranging from liquids to mulch to wood piles - away from your home or outbuildings.
It’s not just rural areas in the county at risk. Duluth Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj shared that his department has already responded to a dozen grass fires in the first three months of the year, which is nearly half the total number they see in an average year. He advised people who use dead leaves to protect gardens over the winter to remove them once the snow melts. Krizaj also reminded people to monitor air quality warnings when wildfire smoke is present.
