Fires in the BWCA

     It seems kind of strange that we are still experiencing high fire danger at this time of the year.  Normally with the shorter days, longer nights, and heavy morning dew the fire danger is not a concern in September.   However, as many of you know, this summer has been very sunny, warm, windy and dry; perfect for the creation of high fire danger. 

     The Superior National Forest has had 19 fires reported in the last week and fire danger is high.  According to the USFS there are currently 8 wildfires in the Gunflint and Tofte Ranger Districts that have been detected over the past week.  On Thursday, September 7th,  we experienced many lightening strikes and very little precipitation.  The conditions are perfect for fires but the forecast does call for rain this weekend so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

      The information below was provided by the USFS on Wednesday, September 13th.

• Famine:  Tofte District – Located ½ mile northeast of Brule Lake .  Fire is 5 acres in size.  Burning in a hardwood mix.  Fire is in BWCAW.  Aircraft is being used to confine the fire to natural boundaries.
• Sumpet:  Tofte District – Fire is less than 1 acre in size.  The fire is being confined to natural boundaries.  Aircraft is being use to assist in confinement.  Fire is within the BWCAW.
• Scott Creek :  Tofte District – Located 1 mile southwest of Silver Island Lake .  Approximately 10 acres in size.  Burning in lowland spruce/fir and old logging slash with pockets of blowdown.  The fire is being suppressed with engines, dozers and hand crews.
• Juno:  Tofte District – Located on the south shore of Brule Lake .  Less than 1 acres in size.  Fire has been contained and is in mop-up/monitor status.
• Baker:  Tofte District – Located near Baker Lake within the campground.  This fire is less than 1 acre.  The fire has been contained and is considered out at this time.
• Red Eye:  Gunflint District – Located 1 mile southeast of Wenchell Lake and 2 miles northeast of Brule Lake .  The fire is approximately 5 acres in size.  The fire is within the BWCAW.  This fire is being contained to natural boundaries.  Aircraft is being used to confine the fire.
• Patriot: Gunflint District – Located south of Seagull Lake .  Fire is less than 1 acre.  Fire is burning in the Arc Lake prescribed burn south of Seagull Lake .  This fire is being assessed aerially for the appropriate management response. 
• Cavity Lake :  Gunflint District – This fire is located at the end of the Gunflint Trail, southwest of Seagull Lake .  The fire burned 31,830 acres in August and is unstaffed.  This fire continues to show interior burning of areas that did not burn in August.  All spots burning are well within the interior of the fire and not threatening to escape the boundaries.