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How a worm perpetuated wildfires in northern Minnesota

US-NEWS-ENV-MINN-WILDFIRES-WORM-DMT

Spruce budworm outbreaks have been reported in Lake, Cook and St. Louis counties in Minnesota. The insects infected more than 700,000 acres of forest last year, marking the largest impact recorded since 1961. Infestation makes trees more vulnerable to fire.

Wildfires are burning through thousands of acres of forest in Northern Minnesota, damaging buildings and forcing residents to evacuate their homes.

The yet-to-be-contained Camp House fire, Jenkins Creek fire and Munger Shaw fire have a small accomplice to thank for their continued destruction: spruce budworms, a well-known pest that has terrorized Minnesota forests for at least half a century, killing trees and making them more susceptible to fire.





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