High fire danger calls for campfire bans in the Boundary Waters

Smoke from area forest fires has caused the moon to show up orange in the early morning sky. Above, David Johnson captured this picture in Bear Tree Park on the harbor. Photo courtesy of David Johnson

Warm temperatures, little moisture and overall dry conditions have led to high fire danger in the region. With that, the Forest Service has temporarily called for a ban on campfires in the Superior National Forest, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).

Some lakes and entry points have also been closed because of four wildfires burning within a twenty-mile radius of Ely.

The largest of these fires is the 62 acre Delta fire, which is in an area of heavy, blown down trees that make the fire very difficult for fire crews to contain. The Delta fire is south of Snowbank Lake. It was believed to have been started by lightning.

Two fires, the Astray and Picketts Lake, are less than one acre in size. The Hassel is about ten acres and located about 14 miles west of Crab Lake from Ely. Fire crews are monitoring all of the fires.