A large brush fire kept crews from multiple Dakota County agencies occupied for nearly three hours Monday evening by the river bottoms near Interstate 494 and Minnesota 13 in Eagan. Emergency services received initial calls at 4:15 p.m., according to 911 dispatchers at the Dakota Communications Center. Crews put the blaze out by 7 p.m. No cause was immediately reported.
Here's how it looked from our living room window. As always, click on the picture to see the large size.
At the worst of it, the fires were spread out in a line that was almost parallel to I-494 there in the background. It was impressive, especially when the wind gusted and sent the flames roaring up. But did I get any pictures at that point? Nooo, because I was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor -- and wondering uneasily if maybe I should get a few Important things ready to grab and go -- to even remember that I had a camera. (Perhaps I should cross "photojournalism" off my list of potential careers.)
It was almost out by this point.
Shortly after this shot, it was all over.
Things still smell a bit smoky this morning and I'm sure that the critters that live down there are none too pleased about this, but the affected area is a relatively tiny portion of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and no one was hurt. Whatever the cause*, it could have been a lot worse. That storm they predicted has started in earnest, otherwise I'd be tromping down there this morning to check it out up close. Perhaps tomorrow.
*My money's on some idiot out for a hike who chucked a cigarette butt into the brush.
