From the Superior National Forest - September 18, 2021

GREENWOOD FIRE QUICK FACTS           

SIZE:  26,797 acres       CONTAINMENT:  80%          PERSONNEL:  196

SUMMARY: Started by lightning, the Greenwood Fire was detected on August 15, 2021, about 3:00 p.m. on the Laurentian Ranger District.  The fire started approximately ten miles southwest of Isabella. 14 primary structures and 57 outbuildings were destroyed on August 23. The objective of fire management for the Greenwood Fire is full suppression using all available resources. 

YESTERDAY: Firefighting crews continued their job of rehabilitating the impacts of fire-fighting. Heavy equipment, including a feller buncher, was used to conduct extensive hazard tree mitigation along Highway 2. A feller buncher cuts and gathers trees, and consists of a standard heavy equipment base with a tree-grabbing device with a chain-saw, circular saw, or shear—a pinching device designed to cut small trees off at the base. The machine then places the cut tree on a stack.

TODAY: Crews will continue to rehabilitate containment lines. This is done by pulling cleared vegetation back onto the dozer line to create a vegetation layer that protects the soil and reduces the chances of the dozer line being used as a trail. The goal of rehabilitation is to return the area to its normal state as much as possible. A type 3 helicopter and heat-detecting infra-red flights will be used to monitor the fire. 

WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: Saturday is predicted to be sunny, with patchy frost until 9 a.m. High temperatures will reach 73 degrees on Saturday. Relative humidity will drop into the 30 to 40 percent range. Winds are from the south from 3-11 mph, increasing to 8-13 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 21 mph. Fire behavior concerns for Saturday remain minimal. Saturday will be the second day of recovery in fine fuels, and with the given weather conditions, areas with fine fuels exposed to the sun in the Arrowhead could see some fire activity.

SAFETY & EVACUATIONS: The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has opened Highway 2 between Highway 11 and Highway 1 to all traffic. Be alert for firefighters and fire equipment in the area and observe posted speed limits. For information about getting a checkpoint pass to access your property on Highway 1, call Lake County Dispatch, 218-510-0640.  

Evacuation orders remain in place for the McDougal Lake area. 

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Effective September 17, Superior National Forest lifted fire restrictions across National Forest System lands, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness management area. Although campfires, charcoal grills and stoves are allowed, please practice caution by keeping fires small, not tall and ensuring your fire is out cold to the touch before leaving it unattended. Drown, stir, touch and repeat until the fire is completely extinguished. Some fire restrictions remain place for state and private lands, check MN DNR Wildland Fire Information for details.

CLOSURES:

• Highway 1 is closed from the Highway 1 and Highway 2 intersection to Lankinen Road and only property owners with passes issued by the Sheriff’s Office may travel along the highway. Highway 2 is open to all traffic.

• National Forest System lands, roads and recreation areas are closed in the area of the Greenwood Fire to protect public health and safety. The closure area extends across the Kawishiwi, Laurentian, and Tofte Ranger Districts and includes several Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Points. To see the full Forest order and other Forest closures, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/superior

Greenwood Fire information on InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7805/

Public Information Line: 218-499-9441     Email: [email protected]     

For all other fires on the Superior National Forest: 218-214-7844    

Facebook: Superior National Forest