St. Paul, Minnesota — Governor Tim Walz has authorized state disaster assistance for six Minnesota counties recovering from flooding in the south and wildfires in the north, opening state help for local governments working to rebuild damaged public infrastructure.

What is happening:

Governor Walz signed off on the aid on Tuesday, November 11, through Minnesota's Disaster Assistance Contingency Account. The account steps in when a county's disaster costs run past what it can cover on its own, paying toward repairs and recovery work once expenses are documented.

Four southern Minnesota counties — Fillmore, Houston, Steele and Waseca — qualify after heavy rain and flooding that began September 19. The flooding brought mudslides, closed roads and damaged homes and other property across parts of southern Minnesota. Two northern counties — Cook and Lake — qualify after wildfires that began July 7 damaged public infrastructure in parts of northern Minnesota.

Local impacts:

In the southern counties, floodwater damaged roads, homes and public facilities, and mudslides cut off routes in several communities. In the north, the July wildfires burned through areas of Cook and Lake counties and left public infrastructure in need of repair. The state funding will help county governments pay for those repairs and for other disaster-related costs tied to the two events.

What to do:

Residents in the six counties should stay in touch with their county emergency management office for updates on recovery work and any local assistance programs.

Document any damage to your home or property with photos and notes, and keep receipts for repairs and cleanup.

Watch for further guidance from county and state officials as recovery work moves forward.

Source: KAAL-TV, November 11, 2026. Reported by TNW News.