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Superior National Forest - Greenwood Lake wildfire update - September 11, 2021

Sep 11, 2021 10:46AM ● By Editor

Photo: Superior National Forest Facebook


From the Superior National Forest - September 11, 2021


GREENWOOD FIRE QUICK FACTS: 

ACRES: 26,797 CONTAINMENT: 58% PERSONNEL: 359

ANNOUNCEMENT: A community meeting is planned for 6:00 pm tomorrow, Sunday September 12, 2021, at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center. The meeting will be live streamed on the Superior National Forest Facebook page. In-person attendees are requested to adhere to current CDC COVID-19 guidelines regarding the use of masks, social distancing and handwashing.

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: Firefighters completed mop-up along the Highway 2 corridor and began picking up fire hose. They also finished mop-up operations on the southwest portion of the fire west of Greenwood Lake. East of Greenwood Lake, fire crews worked along the fire’s edge, cold-trailing and cooling any areas of heat with the assistance of water provided by J-5s. Hose-lays were installed across the railroad tracks to help fire crews cool hotspots in the southeast fire area. Chippers and heavy equipment with grapples piled debris along Highway 1 where the fuel break was constructed. In the McDougal Lake area, crews continued removing hazard trees and heavy equipment worked in the area.

TODAY: Crews will patrol and monitor the Highway 2 corridor along the north and west perimeter of the fire. A helicopter equipped with an infrared camera will be used to identify remaining heat east of Greenwood Lake and along the eastern fire edge. Fire crews can then navigate directly to those areas and extinguish the hot spots. Dozers and hand crews will build more direct line on the central portion of the eastern fire perimeter. Along Highway 1, heavy equipment will be working to pile debris created during construction of the shaded fuel break. These machines are also moving through the roadways in the McDougal Lake area as crews continue removing hazard trees.

 

WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: A cold front is moving through the area today through Saturday. Light rainfall and gusty winds of 20-25 mph may be observed. Fire behavior will be minimal creeping and smoldering, with no growth expected.

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. Evacuation orders remain in place for the McDougal Lake area. For information about getting a checkpoint pass to access your property on Highway 1, call Lake County Dispatch, 218-510-0640.

CLOSURES:

  • Highway 1 is closed from New Tomahawk Road 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.
  • A Forest Service closure order is in place to protect public health and safety due to the Greenwood Fire. It extends across the Kawishiwi, Laurentian, and Tofte Ranger Districts. To see the full Forest order and other Forest closures, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/superior.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Fire restrictions are being evaluated daily and are currently in place for the Superior National Forest and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for areas within state jurisdiction Cook and Lake Counties and northern St. Louis County. Superior National Forest: Fire Restrictions Order for more information. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: MN DNR Wildland Fire Information.

Greenwood Fire information on InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7805/
Public Information Line: 218-499-9441 - Email: [email protected] - Media inquiries: 614-205-9333 For all other fires on the Superior National Forest: 218-214-7844 - Facebook: Superior National Forest

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