U-Haul Now Offering Free Storage After Minnesota Wildfires Force Evacuations

Northern Minnesota continues to battle two significant wildfires this week, forcing evacuations, destroying structures, and prompting Governor Tim Walz to declare a peacetime emergency and activate the Minnesota National Guard.

The declaration will remain in effect until emergency conditions subside or through June 7, whichever comes first.

As of Monday afternoon, May 18, firefighters are making progress,  but the situation remains active, and thousands of residents across two counties have been directly impacted.

Not surprisingly, when disasters strike in northern Minnesota, the community responds, and this week is no different.

Volunteer fire departments from across the region, including Rice Lake, Crosslake, Crosby, Brainerd, Deerwood, Fifty Lakes, Emily, Ironton, and Pequot Lakes, all mobilized to assist with containment efforts. Meanwhile, DNR aircraft have been scooping water from area lakes around the clock.

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Now, a major national company is stepping in with practical help for those who lost or were forced to leave their homes.

U-Haul Offering 30 Days Free Storage For Displaced Residents

U-Haul has announced 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container use at three company facilities in the Brainerd and Duluth areas for residents displaced by the wildfires in Crow Wing and Lake counties.

The offer applies to new self-storage rentals and U-Box portable container rentals and is based on availability at participating locations.

The U-Box offer is for on-site storage at company facilities; delivery is available for a modest fee. Residents who need a secure place to store belongings while they are displaced or waiting to return home are encouraged to contact their nearest participating U-Haul location directly to take advantage of the program.

This is part of U-Haul's ongoing disaster relief program, which the company activates for communities impacted by natural disasters across the country. For northern Minnesota families dealing with an already overwhelming situation, having a free, secure storage option for a full month can make a meaningful difference in the days and weeks ahead.

Where The Fires Stand On Monday, May 18

The Stewart Trail Fire, which started May 15, approximately three miles northeast of Two Harbors in Lake County, has burned 355 acres along the Highway 61 corridor and is now 62 percent contained as of Monday morning.

The cause was determined to be a power line. However, the fire has already taken a significant toll; 34 structures have been destroyed, including eight primary residences and 26 outbuildings.

Governor Walz traveled to Two Harbors Monday afternoon to meet with first responders and survey the damage firsthand. Lake County officials also announced that property owners within the evacuation area between the Stewart River and the Silver Cliff Tunnel will be allowed escorted access to their properties on Monday between 2 and 5 p.m., with check-in beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Betty's Pies at 1633 Highway 61.

The Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County is the larger and more active of the two. The fire started Saturday, May 16, near Flanders Lake in Mission Township, approximately four miles southeast of Crosslake and six miles east of Breezy Point.

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It has grown to an estimated 1,666 acres and is 20 percent contained as of Sunday evening. Evacuation orders remain in place, County Road 11 remains closed, and Crow Wing County has declared a local emergency, the first step toward state disaster aid.

Conditions moderated somewhat on Sunday with higher humidity and lighter winds, and a night crew remained on the fire lines overnight with a full crew reengaging Monday morning.