Conservation Corps Tackles Fire Mitigation After 2025 Bemidji Wind Storm

The June 21, 2025 windstorm toppled 9 million trees across the Bemidji area. Ten months later, those piles of dead wood and branches have become something more dangerous: wildfire fuel. Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa crews have returned to Beltrami County this spring to confront that threat, conducting controlled burns and clearing firebreaks across storm-ravaged land before the dry season arrives.

The second Conservation Corps deployment to Bemidji began mid-March and runs through mid-April. Crews are working at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Detention Center, where 11 debris piles accumulated from storm cleanup need to be burned before warm, dry spring air raises fire risk. Across other sites, crews are also clearing 25- to 30-foot paths through storm-damaged vegetation, with some work extending to the edges of neighboring private properties.

For United Way of Bemidji Area executive director Denae Alamano, the wildfire threat had shifted from a future concern to an urgent one. "Through the long term storm recovery, we have heard over and over a growing frustration from (Fire Chief Justin Sherwood) about wildfires this summer, not 'if,' but 'when' they happen because of all the tree debris and dead trees everywhere," she said.

The mission brought together the United Way, ServeMinnesota and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Nalani McCutcheon, executive director of Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa, said the Bemidji deployment reflected exactly what her organization exists to do. "We loved this opportunity to work with partners and be in contact with Serve Minnesota, United Way and [the] Bemidji fire chief, because this is perfect," McCutcheon said. "This is allowing our members to apply their skills and experiences to serve ... and connect with professionals."

Nearly 100 Conservation Corps members have been part of the Bemidji storm recovery overall, across both deployments. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar toured the controlled burn site near the juvenile detention center on April 2, where she met with McCutcheon and Fire Chief Justin Sherwood to review progress since her initial July 2025 visit.

Fire officials are anticipating an early 2026 wildfire season and have warned that burning will be shut down ahead of schedule as a result. City of Bemidji residents can pick up a free, one-day burn permit at Fire Station 1, located at 318 Fifth St. NW; permits allow burning between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. and can be extended by one day by calling (218) 751-8001. Beltrami County residents outside city limits do not need a permit if at least 3 inches of snow is on the ground. All burn piles must sit at least 25 feet from structures and contain only wood, brush or vegetation.