The northwestern Minnesota fires get real

Our own Tim Spielman reported this week on the fires raging in the northwestern part of the state due to severely dry conditions. As we were putting out the paper, a fire information officer told him the city of Karlstad hadn’t yet been evacuated due to the fires, but that residents had been put on notice.

Thanks to the dry conditions and heavy winds, the fire was moving quickly. Shortly after the paper was out the door, the city was evacuated.

And not long after that, I received a text message from a friend with the sad news that his parents’ home in Karlstad had burned to the ground after the fire overtook it.

It’s amazing how quickly something so far away can hit so close to home. I’d been a frequent visitor and knew their home well, using it as we did for a stopping off point before yearly trips to Lake of the Woods. Thankfully, nobody was injured.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the blaze.

In other topics:

• The DNR has responded to the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Howling for Wolves, which seeks to block wolf season set for this fall and winter in the state. According to an Associated Press report, the state has asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals to reject the lawsuit. Watch the paper and online for more information.
• Could be an exciting weekend for duck hunting. Temperatures are supposed to plummet later this week, and duck hunting in the Central Duck Zone re-opens on Saturday after a five-day hiatus. Hunting in the South Duck Zone re-opens Saturday, Oct. 13.