Photos: The Highway 1 Fire near Ely

Evacuation
As smoke choked them and ash rained down, Ely residents, who declined to give their name, hurriedly threw belongings into their vehicles as they prepared to evacuate.
Steve Foss for MPR

Firefighters were able to stop a fast moving wildfire just outside the town of Ely on Thursday. The Highway 1 Fire started when a power line snapped. Several small fires quickly grew into a 216-acre blaze and homes were evacuated as the blaze neared town. By Friday morning, fire crews began to get the upper hand.