DNR regional director outlines Brainer tanker base needs; $5 million in bonding now sought

Clarissa Spicer, the Northeast Regional Director for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, introduced herself to the Crow Wing County Committee of the Whole and summarized DNR activities and land holdings in the county, including wildlife and aquatic management areas, state forests and trails. She told the board the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership estimated 1,400 local jobs and 4.78% of the countyGDP came from outdoor recreation in 2025, and that the DNR has four local offices and about 120 employees serving the county.

Spicer then introduced Darren Newman, DNR wildfire aviation supervisor, who described the Brainer tanker base that stages helicopters and airtankers for wildfire response. Newman said crews have leased ground at the Brainer airport since the DNR relocated there in 2003 and that Brainer is one of three major tanker bases the agency operates statewide. He described the current Brainer site as "basically two older mobile home type structures in a row of sheds," and said the site supports statewide responses that frequently deploy across Minnesota.

Newman summarized a capital request that originally sought $16 million for an operations and dispatch facility, a consolidated hangar shared with the Minnesota State Patrol, and an expanded apron and fueling/loading ramp. He said the governorand the house capital plans currently show a reduced request of $5 million, which would replace the aging mobile units and sheds and is DNR's highest-priority ask for the wildfire aviation program. Newman added DNR uses long-term leases (about 40 years) at airports to justify strategic capital investments and cited a similar Hibbing project due to finish later this summer as the model for the Brainer work.

Local commissioners voiced support for the project and offered to assist in advancing the bonding request. One commissioner who serves on the airport commission told the DNR that airport staff and a newly engaged airport director had been important partners in the project and offered political help to move bonding forward.

Why this matters: the Brainer tanker base is a statewide wildfire aviation asset located in Crow Wing County. Replacing temporary operations infrastructure and improving the ramp and hangar space would affect regional wildfire response capability and DNR operations. The county board indicated willingness to support the DNRask to the Legislature, while DNR staff signaled the current capital request is smaller than originally planned.

The committee did not take a formal vote during the presentation; DNR asked to be kept apprised of local support for the bonding request and said staff would continue working with the airport commission and county officials on next steps.