Photo: Ayla Meinberg on Unsplash.com

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - Updated 10:45 a.m., June 4, 2026

The Superior National Forest has announced an Emergency Forest Order that bans campfires within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) beginning June 6 at 12:01 a.m through June 30, unless otherwise noted. According to federal officials, ongoing dry conditions and heightened wildfire risks persist in the region, prompting the ban. 

Under the Forest Order, BWCAW visitors are prohibited from igniting, building, maintaining, or using a campfire, including the use of woodburning stoves, coal stoves, charcoal grills, and barbecues. Gas or propane-powered stoves are permitted anywhere inside the BWCAW. 

For those recreating outside the BWCAW, where campfires are still legally allowed, forestry officials are asking people to determine whether a fire is truly necessary. If so, fires must be monitored at all times, kept small, and drowned until they are entirely cold to the touch before visitors leave the site. The forest service also asked the public to exercise extreme caution with other everyday ignition sources, specifically highlighting smoking devices, recreational vehicles, and dragging chains.

The campfire ban follows several weeks of fairly consistent forest fires in the region, including one still burning near Ely, MN, and one near Two Harbors, amid several days of low relative humidity, gusty winds, and little rain. 

According to the MN DNR, as of June 4, the fire danger level in NE and north-central Minnesota is high to very high, meaning fires can ignite easily and have the potential to spread at a fast or very fast rate. On top of that, data from the most recently updated drought monitor map places regional drought severity anywhere from abnormally dry to severe drought as of June 2. 

Meteorologist Krystal Lynum told Boreal Community Media that elevated fire weather conditions will return this weekend, with dry conditions and low relative humidity levels. Sunday will bring strong winds (25-35 mph), raising the fire risk even higher. "After this weekend, it looks like we shift to a more active pattern, with more frequent rounds of rain showers and storms," Lynum said.