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A wildfire that started Saturday, August 13, on Isle Royale burned approximately 11 acres but was mostly contained by Monday, August 15.
National Park Service crews suppressed the fire, which was located near Tobin Harbor and Mt. Franklin Trail. Firefighters found the fire at the junction of Tobin Harbor Trail and the Mt. Franklin Trail. To help contain the fire, a single-engine air tanker from Minnesota dropped 4,000 gallons of water on the blaze in the late afternoon on Saturday.
The fire was spotted burning near the Three Mile campground and reported to park officials on Saturday. Three Mile Campground has eight shelters and 15 campsites.
Campers and hikers were evacuated from Three Mile and Lane campgrounds, and visitors in Rock Harbor, Tobin Harbor, Mt. Franklin, and Greenstone Ridge trails were moved for their safety. In addition, the park service closed nine trails or campsites until further notice.
Isle Royale covers 206.73 square miles of land; it is 45 miles long and nine miles wide, which makes it the fourth largest lake island in the world. There are 36 campgrounds on the island. In 1980 Isle Royale was declared a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve and in 2019 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Minong Traditional Cultural Property. In addition to the big island, the park has an additional 450 small islands that encompass a total of 850 square miles.
According to a press release by the National Park Service, the cause of the wildfire is under investigation.
There were no reports of injuries.
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