With fire hydrants buried by snow, Grand Marais Fire Department asks residents to lend a hand

Kalli Hawkins | February 24, 2026

Snow has been piling up in Grand Marais this winter.

After the most recent blizzard, which dumped nearly two feet of snow along the North Shore, snowbanks tower around every street corner, burying a critical resource for the local fire department.

The Grand Marais Fire Department is asking residents to lend a hand after the recent storm and keep fire hydrants near their homes clear of snow.

In an emergency, firefighters need to be able to quickly find and access hydrants. A hydrant buried in packed snow can slow that process down, costing crews precious minutes they don’t have when responding to a fire.

“When we need them, we need them quickly,” said Grand Marais Fire Chief Ben Silence.

The Grand Marais Fire Department recommends clearing a path to the fire hydrant and a three-foot-by-three-foot square around it. Silence said that gives the firefighters enough “range to be able to bend the hoses around so that they’re not getting kinked.”

While there is no formal process or sign-up sheet for the “Adopt a Fire Hydrant” program, Silence said that once a hydrant is cleared, individuals can contact Grand Marais city officials so the city and fire department can track which hydrants are cleared in the event of an emergency.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Grand Marais Fire Chief Ben Silence about clearing fire hydrants, winter safety reminders for homeowners, and an update on the fire department. Audio is below.