Minnesota Fire Crosses Borders

by: Megan Gosch
A wild fire, believed to have begun August 18 in the Boundary Waters area of the Minnesota-Canada border, has continued to spread, impacting neighboring states Wisconsin and Illinois.
The fire was ignited by a lightning strike and has since begun to spread rapidly, covering nearly 16 square miles within a day, reported Google News.
The fire's plume of smoke has since caused a haze in Milwaukee, responsible for the closing of Miller Park's roof Tuesday, to prevent the cancellation of a Brewers game. An air quality alert was also issued by The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in response to the air pollution.
The National Weather Service reported difficulty breathing by those living in Chicago, and the town of Isabella, Minn. awaits a possible evacuation if the fire worsens.
Four Minnesota National Guard helicopters and nearly 200 firefighters have been assigned to fight the fire.
While there have been no reported injuries, deaths, or burned structures at this point, various paths of entry into the Boundary Waters have been blocked to prevent additional visitors to the area.