Parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area close following fire

Due to the Spice Lake Wildfire on the Superior National Forest, Forest Supervisor Tom Hall is closing a portion of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with an Emergency Forest Order. It is effective starting June 16 and prohibits visitor entry at specific campsites, portages and lakes, and Pristine Management Areas

The Forest Order closures include:

• All trails, portages, rivers, and lakes within the closure area, including but not limited to 47 locations as noted
• All zones of the of the Pitfall Pristine Management Area and the Mugwump Pristine Management Area
• The Kekekabic Trail- the area from the BWCAW boundary west of the Gunflint Trail to the series of portages between Thomas Lake and Ima Lake

According to officials, northern Minnesota is facing severe to extreme drought conditions, causing active and increasing fire across the landscape. A Type 3 team is managing suppression actions on the Spice Lake Fire with additional resources on standby. Additionally, the Forest is monitoring the fires in Canada. The Forest is coordinating with Ontario counterparts.

Beyond the closures for the Spice Lake Fire, the Forest is open to the public.