Wildfire burns in the BWCA

According to the US Forest Service, a wildfire near Spice Lake in Lake County, within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) was detected in the afternoon on Tuesday, June 13. The fire has burned an estimated 30 acres. Fire personnel will fly over the area Wednesday.

The area below the south shore of Spice lake will be closed to the public.

The Forest Service says the fire is between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake in the BWCAW on the Gunflint Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. Spice Lake is located east of Knife and Kekekabic Lakes and southwest of Seagull Lake and approximately 10 miles west of the Gunflint Trail.

Aircraft have flown over the fire’s location and noticed active fire activity. According to the Superior National Forest press release, the area is a mixed Boreal forest with aspen, pine, and balsam fir tree species with the potential for many downed trees as fuel. The cause of the wildfire has not been determined.

Fire personnel looked for public canoe groups on the area lakes and made contact with several groups on Ogishkemuncie Lake and directed them off the lake to the east.

This story will be updated as additional details come in.