September 25 – A late night fire caused extensive damaged to a garage apartment in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 11:45 p.m. in the 3100 block of 1st Avenue. A vehicle parked inside the structure was destroyed, while the rest of the building had extensive fire and smoke damage. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation by the Hibbing Fire Marshal. Fire departments on the scene included: Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin and Virginia.

September 16 – A large house in Virginia’s southside area was struck by lightning early this morning. The incident was reported around 4:55 a.m. in the 200 block of 5th Street South. No injuries were reported, but Virginia fire officials told The Northland Fire Wire that the home had extensive damage to its electrical system as well as to the exterior. The Virginia, Eveleth, Mountain Iron, and Hibbing fire departments were dispatched. Virginia firefighters spent around three hours on the scene checking for the extent of damages.

September 15 – Firefighters from Virginia, Mountain Iron, and Gilbert were on the scene of a trailer home fire in Virginia late this morning. The fire was reported around 10:45 a.m. on Eastview Lane in Briarwood Estates. Arriving firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire, although the home had extensive damage. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Virginia Fire Marshal.

September 8 – The Proctor Fire Department has been notified that it is receiving an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant is in the amount of $155,528.57 for Operations and Safety. In addition, the Cloquet Area Fire District is receiving a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant from the Department of Homeland Security. This grant, which is also part of the AFG Program, is $18,826.29.

August 28 – Multiple fire departments were dispatched early this morning to a report of a fire at the United Taconite plant in Forbes. The alarm came in shortly after 1:30 a.m. in the crusher building. Arriving firefighters reported an active fire in the building with a conveyor belt involved. Later, another fire was discovered in the fines building. A conveyor belt was also involved in that fire. Firefighters from McDavitt, Virginia, Cherry, Clinton, Fayal Township, Central Lakes and Hibbing were on the scene. No injuries were reported. It’s not known how the fire impacted pellet production at the operation.

August 28 – Four Iron Range fire departments were paged early this morning to a house fire in Mountain Iron. The fire was reported around 5:00 a.m. in the 5700 block of Mesabi Avenue. The fire was contained to one room. The residents and two dogs were able to safely evacuate the house. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.

August 27 – The Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia fire departments were dispatched this afternoon to a kitchen fire in Hibbing. The alarm came in shortly after 4:30 p.m. to a residence in the 2500 block of 6th Avenue East. The fire was quickly extinguished. Several cats and dogs were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Hibbing Fire Marshal’s Office.

August 27 – Five Arrowhead Region fire departments are receiving federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The Floodwood Fire Department will get $231,127.62 for the purchase of a fire apparatus. Hibbing is in line for $32,010.48 for operations and safety. The Kinney-Great Scott Fire Department is receiving $74,655.24; Grand Lake, $63,333.33; and Lakeland, $55, 619.05. All three of these grants are also for operations and safety.

August 23 – Mountain Iron, Virginia, Clinton, and Kinney-Great firefighters, along with the Minnesota DNR, battled a grass and junkyard fire in rural Mountain Iron this afternoon. The fire was reported around 1:00 p.m. in the 4900 block of the Haenke Road. Several vehicles were destroyed. A helicopter was also brought in during the initial attack to keep the fire from spreading. The cause is under investigation.