As winter winds whipped from the north, St. Michael’s sunset was shrouded with a black veil on Wednesday, February 19.
It made for amazing imagery – but its source, the Northern Metal fire near Becker, was much more sinister.
Becker schools closed Thursday, Feb. 20, as MPCA results showed fine particle content in the air nearing hazardous levels. In St. Michael and other areas, the MPCA showed moderate levels of particles – enough to maybe trouble those with asthma, but not enough to call for any extra precaution.
The jaw-dropping moments – images from local fire departments who have been facing a literal wall of fire, and often standing in freezing puddles of water while doing so.
Check it out: