‘People Of Interest’ Identified In Investigation Into Cause Of Flanders Fire Near Crosslake

The Minnesota DNR put out a statement on Tuesday as they investigate the cause of the Flanders Fire that erupted in Mission Township near Breezy Point and Crosslake on Saturday, May 16.

The fire, which was first reported early Saturday afternoon, quickly erupted to hundreds of acres in a matter of just a couple of hours, going on to burn more than 1,600 acres by Sunday morning.

The most recent update on the fire's size is 1,685 with 95% containment as of May 19.

Numerous local fire departments were the first responders to this fire on Saturday, working very hard to protect lives and structures as additional state resources, including the Minnesota DNR and other agencies, joined the fight over the weekend.

As of late Tuesday, the fire is mostly contained, the County Road 11 has been reopened, and evacuation orders have been lifted, but the cause of the fire is still unknown.

READ MORE: Cause of Stewart Trail Fire Near Two Harbors Determined

The statement the DNR put out on Tuesday shared that in their investigation, "people of interest" have been identified.

In the same statement, the DNR asked property owners who may have trail cameras, doorbell cameras, security cameras, or other photo or video captured in the area of Flanders Lake to share those visuals with investigators.

Of particular interest are photos and video from between Friday, May 15, and Sunday, May 17, in the area of Flanders Lake, where the fire originated. In the map below, you can see the far western point of the fire area on the northern end of Flanders Lake, which is where investigators say the fire started.

One area of interest that investigators are looking for photos and video from is the area on the western side on state land, along County Road 11, and Horseshoe Lake Road, as seen in the map below.

Anyone who has photos or video from the area of interest or any other information is asked to contact DNR Conservation Officer Jordan Anderson at 218-639-0782.

One of the big questions a lot of people have been wondering about is the "people of interest" and what that means.

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It can be easy to jump to the conclusion that these individuals might be involved in the fire in some way, but it is worth a reminder that the term "person (or people) of interest" is a commonly used term by law enforcement that refers to a person or people who may have information valuable to an investigation. It doesn't necessarily mean they are a suspect.