Hot, dry conditions slow containment of BWCA fire

Crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area will be facing hot and dry conditions for the rest of the week as they work to fight the Pagami Creek fire, which is still 71 percent contained.

Near record temperatures in the upper 70s are forecast, along with very low humidity and winds gusting up to 20 mph. Those conditions have caused several spot fires to flare up outside containment lines on the fire's northern and eastern edges.

Fire information officer Dave Schmitt said firefighters are also dealing with seasonal challenges.

"When you create a line and clear that off you may come back the next day and find that the leaf fall has put another layer of dead vegetation across your line, you have to clean it off again," Schmitt said. "You're constantly redoing things that you did yesterday."

The Superior National Forest has closed more areas as a precaution because of the more severe weather conditions. Three more aircraft are also on the scene to bombard spot fires with water.

BWCA FIRE MAP

The icons contain photos of the burn area before the fire started. The icons show closed entry points. The icons indicate entry points that are still open to use as of Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011.

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