BWCA fire slowly being contained
The Pagami Creek fire in northeastern Minnesota is now 35 percent contained. The fire is expected to burn quietly through the weekend, as the ground takes time to dry out from recent rain.
AS a result, the Forest Service is easing restrictions in the area around the fire. Campfires are now allowed between 6 p.m. and midnight, including in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Fires are allowed at any time in developed campgrounds.
Crews are set to attack a problematic area southeast of Isabella Lake. The fire split in two when it hit the lake, and left an unburned swath between two long fingers of burned area.
Spokesman Doug Anderson says they'll drench the unburned land with water from helicopters.
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"If that goes well, they might do what they call cold trail -- they won't put in a line, but they'll just have firefighters walking along, mopping up, and eventually get to the point where they take off their gloves and feel around for the heat," said Anderson. "They really don't want to burn that area out, so they're hoping they can get by with that process and get it contained that way."
Crews are also set up to use ropes of small explosives on the northern edge of the fire today.
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 Friday, Sept. 23, 2011.