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Minnesota Wildfires
MPR News Staff

Forest Service ends campfire ban in the Boundary Waters

Two people paddle a canoe on a lake.
Dave Drentlaw and Wendy Smith of Northfield paddle into Sawbill Lake for a day trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area on July 27, after parts of the wilderness reopened following a closure due to wildfires. Forest Service officials announced Monday that a temporary campfire ban in the BWCA is being lifted.
Dan Kraker | MPR News

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Recent rain and cooler weather have prompted officials in northeastern Minnesota to lift remaining restrictions on campfires — including in the Boundary Waters.

As of noon Monday, campfires are allowed again in open sections of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and other backcountry and remote areas in northeastern Minnesota. They were temporarily banned amid extreme fire danger earlier this summer.

The U.S. Forest Service said the decision to lift the restrictions was made in consultation with state and tribal agencies.

But authorities are cautioning campers to stay vigilant about campfire safety, given longer-term drought conditions across much of the region — and as we head into what’s traditionally a dry time of year across the north.

“While conditions have improved, we’re not done with fire danger this year, as fall is just around the corner,” Karen Harrison, a wildfire prevention specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said in a news release. “It’s important for people to continue following wildfire prevention tips such as proper campfire safety and using caution when doing outdoor activities that create heat or sparks.”

Those safety tips include never leaving a campfire unattended, and always drowning, stirring and feeling the ashes to make sure they are completely cold before leaving a campsite.

While the campfire ban has ended, parts of the BWCA remain closed due to ongoing wildfires north and northwest of Ely. About 600 firefighters and other personnel are still working to fully contain those fires.

Most of the Boundary Waters is back open to paddlers and hikers, after last month’s full closure of the wilderness.