The Hibbing Fire Department responded to 3,727 total calls in 2024. According to Hibbing Fire officials, 3,263 of the calls involved EMS responses while the remaining 464 calls were fire related. In 2023, Hibbing EMS and fire personnel responded to 3,478 total calls (3,038-EMS/443-fire).

The Virginia Fire Department also had a busy 2024 with 4,774 total calls (4,187-EMS/587-fire). In 2023, Virginia crews went on 4,661 total calls.

January 25 – An early morning fire destroyed a garage and two vehicles in Tower. The blaze was reported around 12:30 a.m. in the 500 block of 2nd Street South. Fire departments responding to the call included: Tower, Breitung Township, Greenwood Township, Eagles Nest Township, Embarrass, Cook, and Vermilion Lake Township. The Tower Ambulance provided medical standby at the scene while the Breitung Police Department assisted in traffic control. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

January 24 – The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office, along with the East Range Police Department and Aurora Fire Department, are investigating this afternoon’s fire at the Irongate Apartments and Townhomes in Aurora. The fire was called in around 3:45 p.m. with the Aurora, Hoyt Lakes, and Palo fire departments responding. Firefighters contained the blaze to one of the single story townhouses located in the housing complex. A 35 year old woman was taken into custody and is facing arson charges. The Hoyt Lakes Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene while the East Range Police Department and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department also assisted.

January 19 – A garage in Babbitt is a total loss following a fire this evening. The blaze was reported around 8:50 on Fern Court. The Babbitt, Ely, and Embarrass fire departments were dispatched. The Babbitt Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene. There were no reports of injuries and the cause is under investigation.

January 20 – Firefighters from four Ely area fire departments (Morse-Fall Lake, Eagles Nest, Ely, Breitung) battled a cabin fire early this morning in Morse Township. The fire was reported around 5:30 in the 3300 block of the Wolf Lake Road. Ted Krueger, Morse-Fall Lake and Eagles Nest fire chief, told The Northland Fire Wire that the cabin was a complete loss. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation. The temperature at the fire scene was around -40 degrees.

January 14 – The Aurora, Hoyt Lakes, and Palo fire departments were dispatched early this morning to a garage fire in Aurora. The blaze was reported shortly after 4:30 in the 400 block of South 2nd Street West. Initial reports said a garage was fully involved in flames and smoke. The fire then spread to two vehicles and the nearby house. An Aurora fire official told The Northland Fire Wire that the garage, house, and two vehicles were a total loss. No injuries were reported. The Hoyt Lakes Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene while the East Range and Gilbert police departments also assisted along with the Aurora Public Works Department. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

January 9 – A Tower home was destroyed by fire this evening. Multiple fire departments were dispatched to the blaze, located in the 500 block of 3rd Street South. The fire was first reported around 9:10 p.m. Departments dispatched included: Tower, Breitung Township, Greenwood, Vermilion Lake, Eagles Nest, Embarrass, Pike-Sandy-Britt, and Ely. The Tower Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene. An excavator was brought in to help extinguish the fire.

January 7 – A trailer home in Clinton Township was destroyed by fire this afternoon. Clinton and Cherry firefighters were dispatched around 12:50 to the Forbes Mobile Home Park. The home was engulfed in heavy flames and smoke when crews arrived. No injuries were reported, but a family dog is unaccounted for. The St Louis County Sheriff’s Department provided traffic control at the scene. The cause is under investigation.

The City of Hibbing and the Hibbing Fire Department are moving ahead with the purchase of a new aerial apparatus. The aerial will be built by Rosenbauer America, located in Wyoming, Minnesota. Hibbing Fire Chief Erik Jankila told The Northland Fire Wire that the cost is estimated around $1.99 million. It will be about two years before the truck is built, which is not considered unusual because of demand and other possible manufacturing delays. The new aerial will replace the department’s current 30 year old ladder truck.