By Erwin Seba

July 12 - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz mobilized state National Guard troops ‌on Sunday to battle wildfires on ‌the state's northern border with Canada.

The fires have covered more ​than 800 acres in five days and are yet to be contained, according to a Minnesota state website. They are among the latest ‌in a swath ⁠of fires that have raged across the United States due to hot, ⁠dry conditions driven by an El Nino weather pattern across the continent.

"I've declared a peacetime ​emergency and ​mobilized the National Guard ​to assist with ‌wildfire response in northern Minnesota," said Walz, a Democrat. "Minnesotans extend our deepest gratitude to all of the first responders working around the clock to keep their neighbors safe."

A total of 16 ‌fires are burning in ​the Superior National Forest in ​northern Minnesota, which ​normally attracts about 150,000 visitors in ‌the summer. Park rangers ​have been ​escorting visitors out of the park over the weekend, according to the Minnesota Natural ​Resources Department website.

High ‌temperatures over the weekend increased the ​fire risk, according to the National Weather ​Service.

(Editing by Nia Williams)