St. Olaf College alerted students about a Natural Lands fire on Nov. 9 through Ole Alert, the emergency email and text notification system, as well as the Everbridge app. The alert asked all students to evacuate from Skoglund-Tostrud and to avoid the lower campus and parking lots. At 1:00 p.m., a follow-up alert was issued stating that the fire was contained.
The cause of the fire was reported to be due to a leaf blower malfunction, and Campus Public Safety and the Northfield Fire Department were contacted shortly after. Though the burned area continues to be monitored, the campus community can still access the Natural Lands.
