DULUTH — A portion of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is closing Friday, June 16, because of a wildfire burning near Spice Lake.
The U.S. Forest Service announced the emergency forest order within the Superior National Forest in a news release Thursday night. The order prohibits visitor entry at specific campsites, portages and lakes, and pristine management areas near the site of the fire.
The wildfire is between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake on the Gunflint Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. Spice Lake is located approximately 10 miles west of the Gunflint Trail. The cause of the fire has not been determined, officials said. The original burn area estimate was 30 acres but that’s since been modified to about 20 acres.
Active and moderate fire activity was witnessed in a mixed boreal forest with aspen, pine and balsam fir tree species. There is also evidence of spruce budworm-affected trees, which means dead down and standing trees. Worsening drought conditions in Northern Minnesota are causing active and increasing fire activity across the landscape.
The Forest Service notified permit holders and outfitters and encouraged permit holders to seek an alternate area of the BWCAW or consider non-wilderness areas of the Forest for similar experiences, the release stated. At this time, overnight paddle, day use and motorized day use is not permitted in the closure area.
“We understand that this will have a significant impact on our visitors, cooperators, and communities near the (Superior National Forest). This emergency closure is necessary for the safety of our visitors, our wilderness rangers and our fire-fighters,” according to the release.
There are 254 backcountry campsites outside the Wilderness offering remote paddling, camping and fishing.
“Here you can experience solitude without reservations, fees or permits and still have similar amenities to that of a BWCAW campsite,” the release stated. “Many backcountry campsites are located on canoe routes outside the BWCAW. State forests and parks and county lands are also available for recreation.”
Beyond the closures for the Spice Lake Fire, the Forest is open to the public, but campfire restrictions were also announced earlier this week. The order restricts the igniting, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, including charcoal grills and barbecues, coal, and wood-burning stoves.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; St. Louis, Cook, Carlton, and Lake counties; and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa also enacted campfire restrictions.
Campfires are allowed only within Forest Service-provided campfire structures (fire rings) at designated recreation sites. A list of designated recreation sites and a map of the area are available at fs.usda.gov/superior.
