Duluth, Minn., September 7, 2023 –The Superior National Forest plans to conduct pile burning to previously piled vegetation in the Greenwood and Hungry Jack areas beginning Thursday, September 7th–Monday, September 11th, 2023, depending on weather conditions. The pile units are located in the Mid-trail area on the Gunflint Trail, north of Grand Marais, MN.

Approximately 433 acres of piles could be consumed depending on weather conditions and burn success. Fire managers hope to reduce the size of the piles by 50-100 percent. The following are the dates and unit locations scheduled for treatment:

Thursday-September 7th & Friday-September 8th: Mid-trail and Greenwood Fire Piles

Mid-trail Piles (see locations below)–368 acres.

• Clearwater (T64N R1W S10):19 acres
• Quiver (T64N R1W S15 & S14): 40 acres
• Okontoe 1 & 2 (T64N R1W S15 & S14/ T64N R1W S15): 88 acres
• Hungry Jack (T64N R1W S2 & S3): 194 acres
• Washout (T64N, R1W, S5): 27 acres

Greenwood Piles (T60NR9W S31,32,33,34,35 & 36 T58NR9W S4 T59NR9W S1)–65 acres

• Units 1-10: 35 acres
• Units 11-20: 20 acres
• Nicollet Unit: 5 acres
• Franconia Unit: 5 acres

Saturday-September 9th: No burning

Sunday-September 10th & Monday-September 11th: Mid-trail and Greenwood Fire Piles

Smoke from the piles may impact private structures and roads near the burning operations. Staff will be present during fire operations to monitor smoke and provide traffic control. Signs will be posted on roadways near burning.

“We are burning piles that were created for hazardous fuels reduction, to help mitigate for wildfires in the Forest. The units are located in areas of higher wildfire risk and that are near values at risk, like cabins and homes,” said Mike Crook-Forestry Technician (Fire) on the Superior National Forest. “Pile burning is the last step for fuels reduction for these project areas. These units were previously treated with mechanical or hand work to cut the vegetative fuels, then our staff piled the cut vegetative fuels, and now we are going to burn them to get that hazardous fuel load out of those areas.”

Maps of the units are attached. The Forest Service will continue to produce public notifications for future prescribed burning activities. 

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Find out more about the Superior National Forest at www.fs.usda.gov/superior and follow us on Twitter @SuperiorNF, on Facebook and Flickr (photo credit: Superior National Forest) #superiornf

The Superior National Forest is managed in Five (5) districts, with a Supervisor’s Office:

• Supervisor’s Office, Duluth: 218-626-4300
• Gunflint District Office, Grand Marais: 218-387-1750
•  Kawishiwi District Office, Ely: 218-365-7600
•  LaCroix District Office, Cook: 218-666-0020
• Tofte District Office, Tofte: 218-663-8060