Most evacuation orders lifted for Superior National Forest fires

ELY — Most of those evacuated due to the Superior National Forest wildfires can return home after changes to the evacuation orders Sunday, July 26.

Three zones along the Cloquet Line northeast of Ely remain in Go status because of the Camp Fire. One zone on the Echo Trail, about 15 miles southeast of Crane Lake, also remains in Go status, as firefighters continue to clean up trees burned in the Sioux Fire.

All other evacuation zones were downgraded one level. Those that were in Go status are now at Set, meaning people should be prepared to immediately evacuate if conditions change. Those that were in Set status are now in Ready, meaning people should remain prepared for a possible evacuation, and zones that were in Ready status have been cleared.

A community meeting about the wildfires is set for 6 p.m. Monday in the Ely high school auditorium and live on the Superior National Forest's Facebook.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness remains mostly closed, with some areas opening for day use Monday.

Only property owners are allowed to return to the newly opened areas.

To protect firefighters as they do their work, Echo Trail will close 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day.

According to the Monday update, rain has helped limit fire activity, but heat remains in the leaf litter below the surface.

Gov. Tim Walz was in Ely on Monday. He has not ruled out extending the peacetime emergency he declared earlier this month and urged lawmakers to provide relief to the region. Doing so would require calling a special legislative session.