The problem of laser‐induced heating and radial expansion of a low‐density plasma in a solenoidal magnetic field has been examined by means of a Lagrangian computer code incorporating an exact solution of the relevant MHD equations plus thermal conduction. It is shown that for long‐term heating with a realistic range of laser power and magnetic field strength, the resulting radial temperature and density profiles can be closely approximated by a quasistatic solution of these equations.