Activities in northern forests restricted due to high fire danger
The National Forest Service will close the Kekekabic Trail in the Superior National Forest on Friday, in response to an elevated risk of fire in northern Minnesota.
The trail will remain closed until further notice. Forest Service officials are concerned that hikers could potentially get trapped on the trail during a rapidly moving wildfire.
The closure begins at Snowbank Lane Road and ends at Gunflint Trail County Road 12. It includes Wilderness Entry Point 74, Snowbank Lake Trail, Disappointment Lake Trail and its connector trails and loops, and Entry Point 56.
The Forest Service has also banned campfires and charcoal or wood-burning camp stoves on all national forest lands within the Superior National Forest.
State and local governments have enacted similar restrictions on other lands in northern Minnesota.
On Thursday, the Cook County sheriff issued an order banning all campfires and recreational fires within Cook County. Violators of the order could be criminally charged or held liable for the costs of putting out any unauthorized fires.
Additional information is available on the Superior National Forest website.
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