Overview
- A single‑engine Air Tractor working a wildfire near Portage Township was struck by a bullet while scooping water from Kjostad Lake, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
- Damage consistent with a bullet strike was found after the plane landed at Hibbing Airport, and the pilot was not injured.
- Investigators urged anyone with information to call 911 and reference case No. 26066433, with the option to remain anonymous.
- The aircraft was operating under a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources contract as part of a broader local, state, and federal wildfire response in northern Minnesota.
- Several fires remain active in the region, including the Stewart Trail Fire, which was reported at over 370 acres with 0% containment as of Saturday afternoon.