Forest Service officials say that while progress is being made in containing the wildfires burning in northeastern Minnesota, the fires will likely continue to burn long into the fall.
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The U.S. Forest service says recent rains have helped firefighters in their effort to contain several wildfires burning in and around Minnesota’s Boundary Waters. Now, the fires are at least 50 percent contained and some are fully contained.
More than 1,000 firefighters and support personnel are working to contain the wildfires. They’ve made progress, but fire weather forecasters caution that northern Minnesota remains very dry — and above-normal wildfire potential is expected to last through late fall.
There was an uptick in wildfire activity over the weekend in northeastern Minnesota. But overall progress toward containing the fires is allowing more Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness entry points to reopen this week.
Small business owners in northeastern Minnesota told their state legislators Friday that the wildfires that have been burning in and around the Boundary Waters for almost a month have had a “disastrous” impact on their bottom lines. One canoe outfitter says he lost 98 percent of his revenue to cancellations in July.
Lee Frelich, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, explained the impact more consistent wildfires has on boreal forests in Minnesota.
Fire crews have reached about 60 percent containment on the wildfires burning in northeastern Minnesota and in Canada, though firefighters remain on alert for new lightning-caused ignitions.
MPR News All Things Considered host Clay Masters spoke with Jason Zabokrtsky, who runs Ely Outfitting Company, to get a picture of how he's feeling about it all.
Small business owners can begin applying for the aid today, Friday, July 31, and all local organizations actively responding to the wildfires are eligible to request funding, too.
Several popular lakes in the Boundary Waters will reopen to day use beginning July 31, including Moose Lake and the Number Chain of lakes near Ely, and Saganaga and Seagull Lakes at the end of the Gunflint Trail.
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