Grass fire shuts down I-35 lane
One lane of Interstate 35 was closed Friday afternoon because of an out-of-control grass fire near Walmart in Albert Lea. The fire was extinguished quickly.
The fire started in an open area in the mile between Exit 11 and Exit 12 of the interstate, and winds pushed the blaze west toward Walmart.
Albert Lea Fire Capt. Scott Hanna said firefighters from Albert Lea, Albert Lea Township, Hayward and Clarks Grove departments responded because the fire was in a hard-to-reach area.