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BRIMSON, Minn. 鈥� St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said winds gusting up to 70 mph Thursday afternoon could be a 鈥済ame-changer鈥� for firefighting efforts if there isn鈥檛 rain as well.

The sheriff reported in a Facebook video around 12:15 p.m. that authorities were concerned about high winds from 4 to 9 p.m. that could fuel the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires.

A gale warning in effect along the North Shore from 1 to 8 p.m. is expected to produce 3- to 6-foot waves on Lake Superior, the National Weather Service in Duluth reported.

Ramsay said some firefighters have been reallocated to the Jenkins Creek Fire, which is growing faster than the Camp House and Munger Shaw fires. All three fires were zero percent contained as of early Thursday afternoon.

Crews were monitoring the growth of the Jenkins Creek Fire in the direction of Hoyt Lakes. As of early Thursday afternoon, the tip of the fire was 6.5 to 7 miles from the city, which has a population of around 2,000. Ramsay said there was a very slim chance the fire could reach Hoyt Lakes in the next 24 hours.

Jenkins Creek Fire crews were working Thursday morning to protect the fire from spreading to an AT&T communications tower and the unincorporated community of Fairbanks, located just west of Cadotte Lake and the Superior National Forest鈥檚 Cadotte Lake Campground, and 18 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes.

The Eastern Area Incident Management Team, which manages the Brimson Complex, including the Camp Fire and Jenkins Creek fires, said in an update at 11 a.m. Thursday that a dozen crews were constructing a line on the south side of the Jenkins Creek Fire. Planes dropped water Wednesday to protect the communications tower.

鈥淭he fire is fueled by mixed forest vegetation and spruce budworm-infested forest stands,鈥� the update read. 鈥淒ead and distressed balsam and aspen prone to ignition pose a significant hazard for firefighters.鈥�

A strong low-pressure system moving in Thursday could bring showers and thunderstorms to the Arrowhead by the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Duluth. Severe storms are possible in the afternoon and evening; however, the best chances are in northwestern Wisconsin.

The forecast for Brimson on Thursday called for a high of 81 degrees and a chance of showers between noon and 4 p.m. and possible thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Relative humidity was 69%.

The NWS reported that the Camp House and Jenkins Creek fires will continue to spread heavy ground-level smoke Thursday. Winds shifted to the southeast and will push the smoke plumes northwest, affecting portions of St. Louis, Itasca and Koochiching counties through the afternoon.

The NWS lifted the Red Flag Warning for Minnesota on Wednesday, but outdoor burning is discouraged.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an air quality alert for fine particle pollution in northeastern Minnesota until 4 p.m. Thursday. The Air Quality Index is expected to reach the orange level (unhealthy for sensitive groups, including those with lung disease, asthma, heart disease, children and older adults.

• Started: Monday
• Acres: 15,570
• Location: East of Hoyt Lakes
• Cause: Under investigation
• Resources: 5 engines, 3 tenders, 3 tracked vehicles, air support
• Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team notes: 鈥淭he hot, windy weather in recent days led to some extreme fire behavior with crown torching and crown spread. The fire jumped Forest Road 120 (Skibo Road) and pushed north. Unlike the Camp House Fire, the Jenkins Creek Fire was not impacted by lake-effect winds. This fire is burning in mixed boreal forest and grassy ground cover; this area is heavily infested by spruce budworm, so there is an abundance of distressed and dead balsam fir and white spruce. Those 鈥榮nags鈥� are especially prone to ignition.鈥� Ground access could be limited due to swamps, rivers and a lack of forest roads.

• Started: Sunday
• Acres: 14,979
• Location: Brimson
• Cause: Under investigation
• Resources: 32 engines, 13 tenders, 6 dozers, 3 tracked vehicles, air support
• Eastern Area Complex Incident Management Team notes: 鈥淔irefighters are engaged in full suppression tactics on the fire and are providing protection to threatened structures and infrastructure around the fire perimeter. The fires have been active, making short runs in the pine overstory 鈥� especially in areas with heavy spruce budworm infestation. Fire has proved challenging due to the influence of unpredictable shifting 鈥榣ake turbulence鈥� winds.鈥� Crews were working to protect an AT&T communications tower.

• Started: Monday
• Acres: 1,600
• Location: 2 miles east of Elora Lake
• Cause: Undetermined
• Resources: 65 personnel
• Minnesota Interagency Command Team A notes: 鈥淐ontinue use of aircraft and ground personnel, dozers, and track vehicles to continue establishing an anchor point and containment line.鈥� The fire was 鈥渃reeping and smoldering.鈥� Sixty-five personnel were on the scene.

St. Louis and Lake counties will contact residents in their respective counties if they need to evacuate.

• denotes evacuation status in yellow, orange and red, along with recommended plans to protect residents and their property.
• denotes evacuation status in yellow, orange and red, along with recommended plans to protect residents and their property.

Evacuation centers

• St. Louis County Public Health and American Red Cross shelter at the Fredenberg Community Center, 5104 Fish Lake Road, Duluth
• Old 歪歪漫画 Lives, 9165 U.S. Highway 53, Cotton

United Way of Northeastern Minnesota
For residents impacted in St. Louis County. It is working to establish a wildfire recovery fund. Immediate assistance is offered through its Comforts of Home program, which replaces lost items with referrals from agencies like the Red Cross and St. Louis County. All proceeds go to impacted community members.

• Donate online:
• Donate via mail: United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, 608 East Drive, Chisholm, MN 55719

Head of the Lakes United Way
For residents impacted in Lake County. All proceeds go to impacted community members.

• Donate online:
• Donate via mail: Head of the Lakes United Way, 314 W. Superior St. #750, Duluth, MN 55802; include a note indicating 鈥渨ildfire relief.鈥�