It was sure nice getting all the way to the end of July before worrying about fire danger. The woods are still green, but the ground has been rapidly drying out. The latest heat wave has produced a few dry lightning storms that have been taking their toll in parts of Ontario and Manitoba. There have also been a few fires reported in Lake and St. Louis counties, but nothing is currently burning in Cook. The major source of the smoke we are seeing and smelling on the Gunflint Trail has been from Canada, but a fire near Echo Lake in Ely sent some smoke our way as well.
The heavy rainfall we received the past month has given the berries an early season start. We have been snacking on them for a few weeks now around the campsites on Saganaga Lake. Raspberries and blueberries both look like they are going to be big and plentiful this summer. The Ham Lake burn areas are still producing a lot of berries, and should for awhile.
My sister, Carrie, and her family were visiting last year at this time and they wanted to pick enough berries to make a pie. I sent her off to a hot spot while I took her husband fishing. We fished for a few hours on Sag and rendezvoused with the rest of the gang at the Moose Pond landing that afternoon. The “pickers” had a little trouble finding the berries since they thought they grew in trees.
In Carrie’s defense, we grew up on acreage in Iowa that had mulberry trees, so berry-picking back home meant looking up—not down. Once I showed them a bush, we managed to get just enough for a pie as the sun set. They are coming back this summer and I suspect they will want to pick some more. I love blueberry pie!
The hot days have not been affecting the fishing very much this week. The lake levels have been dropping steadily since the recent storms have not been giving up much rainfall. We have been very fortunate so far this season, but I think we are looking at a dry fall if things do not get wet again soon.
Imagine if we had to endure a drought like our southerly neighbors. It would have been a devastating summer for the Boundary Waters. Mother Nature has been doing her best to start some fires this week with the lightning strikes, and they would be a lot worse if we were not so green right now. It takes a lot of precipitation to keep the woods safe around here. Conditions can change for the better or worse so quickly.
Rachelle and I watched an impressive lightning show last Saturday night. The bright flashes from the heat lightning were almost back to back followed by a slow-moving rumble in the distance. It looked like a scene from Lord of the Rings, pretty dramatic.
We already replaced our entire phone system this year from a lightning strike that happened earlier this springso I get a little nervous when it gets that close. I have installed surge protectors on most of our appliances and our phones, but the best prevention is to simply unplug everything during the storm. Sounds easy, but that is not always an option.
Stay safe and keep an eye on Smoky the Bear to know how dangerous it currently is to burn.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218-388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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