Minnesota wildfire spreads to 100,000 acres

A wildfire in Minnesota has burned through 100,000 acres in the northeastern part of the state.

Reuters reports that the fire is now the largest in recent history in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness, an area popular for canoeing and camping. The fire grew drastically from Monday to Tuesday, though lower temperatures and a little rain slowed the flames on Wednesday. Smoke from the fire has triggered air quality warnings in Milwaukee and Chicago.

36 homes have been evacuated, and residents of 100 more have been told to be ready to leave.

"They are being told be ready to go, gather your photos, gather your important papers, know where things are, but there are no evacuations that are expected for today or tomorrow," forest service spokeswoman Lisa Radosevich-Craig told Reuters.

230 firefighters are fighting the flames, and another 200 are expected to arrive by Thursday. Airplanes and helicopters are also being used in the effort.

The Associated Press reports that the fire was ignited by a lightening strike on August 18. High winds and dry conditions helped it spread, but winds were expected to be calm on Wednesday.

No buildings have burned and no injuries have been reported due to the fire. The haze created by the flames forced Miller Park officials in Milwaukee to close the stadium's roof before a Brewers game against the Colorado Rockies.

Reuters reports that the largest fire in Minnesota history occurred in the 1930s, when flames charred 1 million acres in the north central part of the state. In the 1890s, a fire burned 350,000 acres around Hinckley south of Duluth.