Walz encourages Minnesota businesses affected by BWCA wildfires to apply for disaster loans

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Small businesses and nonprofit organizations affected by this summer’s wildfires in Superior National Forest and the surrounding areas may now apply for additional support from federal disaster loans, Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday.

The wildfires burned more than 64,000 acres across Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties, disrupting tourism, customer traffic and operations during the peak summer season, according to the governor’s office.

Eligible small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and nonprofit organizations can apply for U.S. Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

The loans are intended to help organizations meet ‘ordinary and necessary financial obligations’ they could not cover because of wildfire-related losses, according to Walz’s office.

“Small businesses are the backbone of northeastern Minnesota, and these historic wildfires disrupted far more than the areas where flames burned,” Walz said in a statement. “This assistance builds on our state’s response and will help eligible businesses protect jobs, meet their obligations, and continue serving their communities as they recover and rebuild.”
Governor Walz

Who’s eligible?

Businesses and organizations in Cook and St. Louis counties are eligible, along with those in the contiguous Minnesota counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching and Lake. Douglas County, Wisconsin, is also included in the disaster declaration.