Boundary Waters

Due to smoke from Boundary Waters wildfires, the MPCA issued air quality alerts for large parts of Minnesota. The alert lasts until at least Friday, July 16, 2026.

Nearly 9,000 acres are estimated to be burning in the BWCA as of July 13, 2026, and the closure is for public safety. The Boundary Waters is not expected to fully reopen this summer.

The U.S. Forest Service is also banning campfires amid dry conditions. The closures and campfire ban go into effect July 11, 2026.

Late cancellations and no‑shows continue to climb, according to the U.S. Forest Service. In 2025, nearly 40% of January reservations were never used.

The Emergency Forest Order, which prohibited campfires and charcoal-fueled cookstoves, will be lifted on June 12, 2026.

A few wilderness campsites may be closed, but there are no other closures in the Boundary Waters. There is currently a campfire ban within the area because of dry conditions.

The Emergency Forest Order will be in effect in all areas of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness beginning at midnight on June 6, 2026.

The Senate's 50-49 vote on April 16, 2026, reverses a 20-year mining ban in the Superior National Forest in the Rainy River watershed, within which the BWCAW is located.

As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on reversing a 2023 mining ban in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith spoke on the Senate floor April 14, 2026.

Conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts are pleading with the public to demand that protections in the BWCAW concerning mining interests stay in place, with a key vote in Congress pending.