A fire suppression aircraft appears to have been struck by a bullet while fighting a wildland fire in St. Louis County on Friday, authorities say.
The plane landed safely at the Hibbing Airport and the pilot was not injured.
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St. Louis County deputies and several state, local and federal firefighting resources responded to a wildland fire in Portage Township around 4 p.m. on May 15, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said.
Portage Township is about 15 miles north of Orr.
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Two single-engine Air Tractor fire suppression aircraft operating under contract with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources were dispatched to the fire. Ground and air resources worked the fire for several hours and when the aircraft returned to the Hibbing Airport, crews discovered one of them appeared to have been struck by a bullet, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators believe the aircraft was struck after scooping water from Kjostad Lake around 7 p.m.
