Firewise

As a homeowner there are many different actions you can take to increase the likelihood of your house surviving a wildfire. Many of these measures are simple and cost effective. 

50 Things You Can Do To Protect Your Home

Escaped debris fires are the #1 cause of wildfires in Minnesota. Before lighting any fires be sure to check the Fire Danger Rating and Burning Restrictions.

Protect yourself and your property by obtaining a burning permit. Permits allow emergency managers to provide a rapid and efficient response if a fire becomes uncontained. 

You need an open burning permit when:

• When the fire is more than 3 feet high and 3 feet in diameter.
• When the ground is not completely covered by a minimum of 3 inches of snow.
• When the fire is not contained in either an approved burner or in a cooking or heating device such as charcoal grill or camp stove.
• Where county or other local jurisdiction requires a burning permit year round or for all sizes of fires.

 For more information on burning permits, visit MN DNR.

Apply for burning permit online

In accordance with Firewise, St. Louis County has developed a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). 

The St. Louis County CWPP has two objectives: 

• First, the plan identifies and prioritizes wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas within St. Louis County (including State, County, Federal and other lands) for hazardous fuels reduction treatments and recommends methods for achieving hazardous fuels reductions. WUI areas are portions of the landscape as identified by the St. Louis County CWPP where wildland fuels (trees, brush and other vegetative materials) threaten to ignite combustible homes and structures.
• Second, the plan outlines measures for reducing fire danger to structures throughout St. Louis County at-risk communities.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2021

Reso 21-540 CWPP

Wildfire Preparedness Websites

• Fire Adapted Communities 
• Wildland Fire Ready, Set, Go 
• National Fire Protection Association 
• Red Cross Wildfire Checklist

General Wildfire Info

• Smokey Bear - "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" 

• Incident Information System - Current information on fires occurring throughout the country.

• Minnesota Incident Command System - Current information on MN fires. 

• Forest and Rangelands - Provides fire, fuels and Land Management information for government officials, land and wildland fire management professionals, businesses, communities, and interested organizations and individuals. 

• Fire Science in the Great Lakes Area - Lake States Fire Science Consortium.