This October 11 image from NASA Earth Observatory Landsat-5 shows the Pagami Creek fire nearly contained. NASA officials wrote, “Apart from a faint hint of smoke, there is little sign of current fire activity in the image. The burned forest, however, is charcoal-colored, in contrast to the green forest around it.”
The last official daily update on the Pagami Creek fire was October 22. However, the fire, which was detected on August 18, 2011, continues to smolder and it is being carefully monitored by air.
Kurt Schierenbeck, with the U.S. Forest Service Gunflint Ranger District, said there are still a “handful” of people on the ground, collecting all the hose and equipment that was used in the months-long firefighting efforts. Schierenbeck said, “When you have something that big, you end up with a lot of stuff scattered around.”
The fire grew to nearly 100,000 acres. It is considered contained, but is still burning. Schierenbeck said, “There is still smoke out there. We’re waiting for snow.”
In the meantime, fire restrictions have been lifted by both the U.S. Forest Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Closures of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) entry points and area campgrounds have also been lifted.
The Pagami Creek fire was discovered about 13 miles east of Ely on August 18, 2011. It is believed to have been started by lightning strike.
When the fire began, Superior National Forest fire management specialists conducted risk assessments and determined that letting the fire burn would provide resource management benefits such as preparing seed beds for pine regeneration and decreasing fuels for future wildfires. Early news releases about the fire said as the fire burned to the south it was reaching older burned areas. The Forest Service predicted that those earlier burns would function like fuel breaks and decrease the likelihood of the fire moving farther south.
However, on September 12 the fire made a 16-mile run to the east reaching the edge of Polly Lake, nearing the Cook County county line. By September 14, the fire had grown to nearly 100,000 acres rivaling the 1918 Cloquet fire. A massive effort to halt the blaze was launched and at the height of the fire, approximately 900 people were involved.
As of October 22, $22,300,000 had been spent to combat the Pagami Creek fire.
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