Thumb Fire (Minnesota)

Burning across federal land in St. Louis County, Minnesota, the active Thumb Fire near Ely has steadily expanded over 49 days to consume 25,015 acres, averaging roughly 511 acres of growth per day since its natural ignition on July 7, 2026. Situated five miles south of Lac la Croix, the incident is currently exhibiting moderate, smoldering, and creeping fire behavior within closed timber litter. Despite the steady progression of the blaze, suppression efforts led by a Complex Incident Management Team have achieved 58 percent containment.

Operations on the ground are supported by a dedicated force of 53 personnel operating under a Type 1 Incident designation through the USFS, with total suppression costs mounting to $4,419,500. While this single incident continues to draw resources in Minnesota, the broader national landscape shows a different trend: 3,021,962 hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, tracking 45 percent below the two-decade average during a typical fire season that spans from June to October.