Boundary Waters Fire Update with Fire Restrictions and Closures

West Zone Fire Update

                                                                                      Ely, MN

                                                                          Sept. 9, 2012 2:30 p.m.

  

Special Notifications:  A fire restriction for the entire BWCAW continues to be in effect.  It allows visitors to have campfires only at night from 7:00 pm to Midnight.  Gas and propane stoves are permitted anytime.

Current Fire Activity:  All fires are contained, controlled, or out. A small amount of rain (less than a half inch over most of the area) plus cooler temperatures calmed fire danger yesterday. Weather for today and the next few days is predicted to be warmer with more wind. If any lightning-started fire remains, it could show itself in the next few days.

Resources Available: Forest Service Fire Engines, approximately 40 personnel. The two out-of-state ground crews, Beartown and Ponderosa, will be released today or tomorrow.  Aircraft in Ely are two Beaver float planes, a Sikorsky Type 2 helicopter, and a Type 3 helicopter.  CL215s and more helicopters are available if needed.

Contained Fires:

Cummings Lake Fire: T64 R14 Section 28, BWCAW; On a peninsula separating the west end of Cummings Lake from the northeast side of Otter Lake.  50 Acres. 100% contained.  Mop up efforts are underway.

Controlled Fires:

Wooden Leg Fire:  T64 R9 Section 13: -91 25.43, 48 01.42, BWCAW: Approximately ¼  acre.  Due to effective mop up efforts this fire has been moved from ‘Contained’ to ‘Controlled’.  The closure of Ensign and surrounding lakes and portages remains in effect at this time. Warmer temperatures, higher winds, and dryer conditions are expected early next week. A closure map can be found on the Superior National Forest website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/superior/home

Click Map for Larger Image of Closures

Closures:  Ensign, Vera, Trident, Frog, Splash, Spigot, Perdu, Trader, Shallow, Arkose, Explorer, Bedford, Wooden Leg, Grub, Ashigan, Missionary, Boot, Haven, Abinodji, Swing, and Gibson Lakes. The Snowbank Hiking Trail from Boot Lake west to the Trailhead is also closed.  Sucker Lake has a few campsites closed near the Splash portage.

Suppressed fires now ‘Out’

Beartrap Fire, Out on 9/6/12

Cloquet Line Fire, Out on 9/7/12

Hawk’s Nest Fire, Out on 9/7/12

Thunder Lake Fire, Out on 9/7/12

Spring Creek Fire: Out on 9/7/12

Fire Lake Fire:  Out on 9/7/12

Aikio Fire, Out on 9/7/12

Fire Restrictions and Fire Activity Boundary Waters Sept. 6, 2012

 Update Sept. 6, 2012

​​​​​​     5:00 pm

Special Notification:  A fire restriction for the entire BWCAW beginning Sept. 6th allows visitors to havecampfires only at night from 7:00 pm to Midnight.  Gas and propane stoves are permitted anytime.

The fires listed below are only affecting a small portion of the BWCAW. All entry points remain open.  Closures of specific lakes or portages are being listed as needed.

Current Fire Activity:

•

Fire Lake Fire:  BWCAW, 1/10 acre, detected 9/6/12

•

Wooden Leg Fire: T64 R9 Section 13: -91 25.43, 48 01.42, BWCAW: Approximately ¼ acre.  

The Wooden Leg Fire (located between Moose and Snowbank Lake) was knocked back with CL215water dropping aircraft but continues to show fire activity and is putting up smoke.  This fire, although very small at this time, is located near blowdown with a heavy balsam regrowth. Fire crews are currently working their way in to where it will be safe to work.  Closures:  As a precautionary measure, a closure is now in effect for Ensign Lake and nearby lakes including Vera, Trident, Frog, Splash, Spigot, Perdu, Trader, Shallow, Arkose, Explorer, Bedford, Wooden Leg, Grub, Ashigan, Missionary, Boot, Haven,Abinodji, Swing, and Gibson. The Snowbank Hiking Trail from Boot Lake west to the Trailhead is alsoclosed.  Sucker Lake has a few campsites closed near the Splash portage. Public Safety crews continue tosweep and will be posting portages leading to that area. 

Click Map for Larger version

•

Cummings Lake Fire: T64 R14 Section 28 on a peninsula separating the west end of Cummings Lake from the northeast side of Otter Lake.  50 Acres. 80% contained.

Suppression action is being taken on all of the fires listed above.

Resources: Forest Service Fire Engines, approximately 65 personnel, including 2 out of state ground crews-one 10 person and one 20 person, 2 helicopters, 2 CL215s available in the state, and the Beaver float planes.

Contained and Controlled Fires:

Cloquet Line Fire, contained 9/3/12

Aikio Fire, contained 9/4/12

Hawk’s Nest Fire, controlled 9/5/12

Thunder Lake Fire, contained, 9/6/12

Spring Creek Fire: contained 9/6/12

Suppressed fires now ‘Out’

Beartrap Fire, Out on 9/6/12

Canada:

Fort Frances #53, the Canadian Fire on Norway Point of Basswood Lake, was approximately 40 acres. Firecontinues creeping to the north, deeper into Canada, clearing up ground debris and brush with only occasional tree torching, smoke throughout, no major activity.

Boundary Waters Closure Map Wooden Leg Lake Fire Area

This is a map that goes along with the closure from last night's update:

Current Fire Activity:

•

Wooden Leg Fire: T64 R9 Section 13: -91 25.43, 48 01.42, BWCAW: Approximately ¼ acres.  The Wooden Leg Fire (located between Moose and Snowbank Lake) was knocked back hard with CL215water dropping aircraft but continues to show activity. Because it is located near blowdown with a heavy balsam regrowth, it is unsafe to put fire crews on the ground.  Due to these circumstances, a decision was made to close Ensign Lake and nearby lakes including Vera, Trident, Frog, Splash, Ashigan, Missionary, and all lakes within the Spider Primitive Management Area (Neglige, etc.)  The Snowbank Hiking Trail from Boot Lake west to the Trailhead is also being closed.  The portage from Boot to Ensign will be closed.  Sucker Lake will have a few campsites closed near the Splash portage. Public Safety crews are sweeping the area today and will be posting portages leading to that area.  

Click Picture for large version of Map

New Fires and Fire Restrictions in Boundary Waters September 5, 2012

West Zone Fire Update

                                                                     Update Sept. 5, 2012

​​​​​​     7:00 pm

Current Fire Activity:

•

Wooden Leg Fire: T64 R9 Section 13: -91 25.43, 48 01.42, BWCAW: Approximately ¼ acres.  The Wooden Leg Fire (located between Moose and Snowbank Lake) was knocked back hard with CL215water dropping aircraft but continues to show activity. Because it is located near blowdown with a heavy balsam regrowth, it is unsafe to put fire crews on the ground.  Due to these circumstances, a decision was made to close Ensign Lake and nearby lakes including Vera, Trident, Frog, Splash, Ashigan, Missionary, and all lakes within the Spider Primitive Management Area (Neglige, etc.)  The Snowbank Hiking Trail from Boot Lake west to the Trailhead is also being closed.  The portage from Boot to Ensign will be closed.  Sucker Lake will have a few campsites closed near the Splash portage. Public Safety crews are sweeping the area today and will be posting portages leading to that area.

  

•

Cummings Lake Fire: T64 R14 Section 28 on a peninsula separating the west end of Cummings Lake from the northeast side of Otter Lake.  50 Acres. 60% contained.

•

Saturday Bay Fire, Crooked Lake: T6 R12 Section 14 on the Kawishiwi District of the BWCAW ¼ acres

•​Thunder Fire: T66 R 12 Section 34: -91 50.62, 48 9.51, BWCAW  ¼ acres,

•​Spring Creek Fire: T65 R12 Section 7  BWCAW ¼ acres

•​Beartrap Fire: T65 R12 Section 4: -91 51.78, 48 8.99, BWCAW, ¼ acres

•​Hawk’s Nest Fire: T64 R11 Section 30: -91 46.95, 47 59.93, Superior National Forest, ¼ acres

Suppression action is being taken on all of the fires listed above.

Canada:

Fort Frances #53, the Canadian Fire on Norway Point of Basswood Lake, was approximately 40 acres. Firecontinues creeping to the north, deeper into Canada, clearing up ground debris and brush with only occasional tree torching, smoke throughout, no major activity.

Special Notification:  A fire restriction for the entire BWCAW beginning Sept. 6th allows visitors to have campfires only at night between 7:00 pm to Midnight.

Click for larger picture of the Map

Latest on Cummings Fire September 4, 2012

It is raining heavily and hailing as I type this, so.... that should help matters.

Cummings Fire

                                                                   Update Sept. 4, 2012

LOCATION: Township 64, Range 14, Section 28 (southwest corner), on a peninsula separating the west end of Cummings from the northeast side of Otter Lake.

DATE DETECTED: September 2, 2012

SIZE: Estimated at forty acres

CAUSE: Unknown

AGENCY:  Superior National Forest, West Zone

ASSIGNED RESOURCES:  One Type 3 helicopter, and sixteen firefighters.  Other aircraft are available if needed.

SPECIAL MESSAGES:  As noted in yesterday’s update, crews made good progress in creating control lines around the fire. Additional work will be required on the northwest corner.  Predicted precipitation did not materialize. Conditions continue to be very dry but winds are expected to be light. Beartown, a 10-person crew from Michigan arrived to assist. Today they will be flown in to relieve local crews so that local crews are available for initial attack.

CLOSURES: With the exception of a few individual campsites, there are no closures at this time. Stay tuned for potential campfire restrictions.

Additional Updates:

Fort Frances #53 (Norway Point) Fire

Fort Frances #53, the Canadian Fire on Norway Point of Basswood Lake, is at 12 hectares (approximately 30 acres). This fire will be monitoring today by Canadian and US aerial resources as well as a Forest Service ground crew.

Click for larger picture