Estimated size of Boundary Waters fire jumps 40 percent

The Pagami Creek fire continues to march south and east in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness today. In the past couple days, the estimated size of the fire-damaged area has grown by more than 40 percent, from 3,200 acres yesterday morning to 4,500 acres today.

Extremely dry conditions, high temperatures, low humidity and winds that are expected to gust up to 20 mph out of the northwest this afternoon all have the potential to help the fire spread today, according to Mark Van Every, a district ranger for the Lake Superior Forest.

This morning brought breezes out of the west at 5 to 9 mph, but those are predicted to build throughout the day.

Firefighters took action to keep the fire from spreading to the north and west, where it could have threatened private property in the Fernberg corridor.

However, Van Every said crews are allowing the fire to run its course to the south and east for now, monitoring the progress of flames. The fire was first detected Aug. 18 and was likely caused by a lightning strike.

“As with other fires, when this fire was detected, we evaluated the opportunity for fire to play its natural role in the wilderness,” said Van Every. “We made the decision to monitor it and contain it to keep it from escaping the wilderness.”

To ensure visitors remain safe, the Forest Service has temporarily halted all access to the BWCAW through Lake One, Snake River, the Little Isabella River, Bog Lake, the Pow Wow Trail, Isabella Lake and Island River. People with prior permits to enter through the lake are being redirected to other entry points. People already in the wilderness who wish to exit, may still use these lakes to do so.

Assistance retrieving vehicles will be offered to paddlers who decide to exit from a different point than originally planned in order to avoid the fire zone.

Crews also are asking visitors to move off Lakes Two and Three, all the way east to Hudson Lake. Paddlers have been asked to avoid Fire Lake, Bridge Lake, Rifle Lake, the Wilders, Horseshoe, Pagami, Clearwater, Isabella Lake and the Isabella River. Several portages in the area of the fire have been temporarily closed, as well. Campsites on the south end of Bald Eagle Lake are temporarily off limits, too.

“The fire is not an imminent threat to any visitors right now, but we want to keep ahead of it,” Van Every said.

About 65 people are now working the fire, monitoring its progress and sweeping out to intercept and warn visitors to the area.

Because of recent drought conditions, campfires in the BWCAW are now restricted to between 6 p.m. and midnight

More information is available online at: www.inciweb.org/incident/2534

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