Wildfires prompt partial Boundary Waters closure, fire ban
Officials cited multiple wildfires and said 13 entry points will close while campfires and charcoal or wood stoves are banned.
- Starting Saturday, July 11, the Forest Service is closing 13 entry points to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely. This partial closure and wilderness-wide campfire ban aim to manage escalating wildfire risks.
- The Forest Service detected 16 small wildfires across the Superior National Forest since Tuesday. The closure specifically addresses the Bear Trap, Thumb, and Wolfpack fires located in the northwestern portion of the wilderness.
- Among the active blazes, the Thumb Fire is the largest at about 100 acres, while 17 total fires burn across the forest. Most fires range from a quarter-acre to more than 2 acres.
- Campfires, charcoal, and wood-burning stoves are now banned throughout the entire BWCAW, though gas or propane cook stoves remain allowed. Rangers are reaching visitors in affected areas to advise immediate exit.
- Forest Service spokesperson Joy Liptak VanDrie noted the high wildfire potential across northern Minnesota. Officials emphasize that visitors must exercise extreme caution with ignition sources, even outside the wilderness area.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Duluth News Tribune
Wildfires prompt partial Boundary Waters closure, fire ban
The northwesternmost area of the BWCAW will be closed, and fires will be banned throughout the entire wilderness area. Both take effect Saturday, July 11.
Wildfires force Forest Service to close access to parts of Boundary Waters, ban campfires
The U.S. Forest Service is closing public access to a large swath of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area northwest of Ely, and the agency has also banned campfires, as several small wildfires burn in the wilderness.
Forest service announces fire closures in BWCAW - The Timberjay
SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST— A rash of small fires, most likely sparked by lightning strikes associated with a storm front that passed through the area on July 6, has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to close three areas in the northwestern part of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The closures, announced July 10 and set to take effect on July 11, will be in effect until further notice and will impact a total of 13 entry points into the wi…
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