State: Watch for unlicensed contractors

WINONA – The state Department of Labor and Industries is advising wildfire victims to be on the lookout for contractors not registered with the department.

Opportunists taking advantage of five victims have already included individuals burglarizing evacuated properties and others impersonating Red Cross assessors to gain access to homes during recovery efforts.

“Disasters like our state’s recent wildfires often bring out scam artists itching to make a buck from homeowners desperate to quickly rebuild or repair their homes,” Labor and Industries officials said in a news release. “L&I requires c...