Closures & Fire Restrictions

Superior National Forest has issued an updated Emergency Forest Closure order for portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) to protect the health and safety of visitors and firefighters due to an active wildfire in the Quetico Provincial Park. In addition, the forest is implementing Forest-wide fire restrictions, effective July 12,2026, and currently has fire restrictions in place within the BWCAW. Visitors are encouraged to continue monitoring official information sources, including the forest’s Alerts page , Inciweb, Facebook and X, for the latest updates.

Notice

Effective July 12, 2026, the Minnesota Incident Command Team (MNICS) will be taking command of the following wildfires: Creek, Chub, Camp 5/Duck, Bug Creek, Ridge, Marion Creek, Beaver Tail, Echo 2, and the Nine Fire. Please follow Inciweb and the MNICS Facebook page for more information.

Wildfires

Currently, the forest has 17 active wildfires, with four inside the BWCAW. One new fire was reported yesterday, and the Coffin Fire has been removed due to the inability to locate it on the landscape. The Newton Fire, which started 7/7/2026, off Newton Lake is controlled and contained. Three fires, Section Three Pond and Echo 2, are also now contained.  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is assisting with suppression activities within the forest. Quetico Provincial Park and Ontario also have numerous fires.
Firefighters have been making good progress on the fires. They continue to suppress the fires, work on perimeter/containment lines, and strategize continued suppression tactics.
 

• Rabbitt Fire started 7/10/26. Size–3 acres. Location–South of Ray in Koochiching State Forest. Firefighters are suppressing the fire.

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• Chub Fire started 7/9/2026 Size–25 acres. Location– North of Chub Lake, southwest of Crane Lake. Firefighters are suppressing the fire and using a dozer to create a line around it.
• Bug Creek started 7/9/2026. Size–0.10 acres. Location–South of Chub Lake. Minimal fire activity.
• 614 started 7/9/2026. Size–7.3 acres. Location–Northwest of Ash Lake/East of Hwy 53. Approximately 50% contained. Firefighters have perimeter hose line around the fire and suppressing.
• Camp 5/Duck started 7/9/2026. Size–0.1 acres. Location–North of Elephant Lake. Difficulty detecting location due to little to no fire activity. Aircraft are flying over routinely for fire activity checks.
• Nine Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–5.4 acres. Location–South of Echo Lake. Firefighters have a dozer line around it and are using indirect confinement firing on some unburned pockets to reinforce the containment/perimeter line.
• Creek Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–3-acres. Location–Northwest of Chub Lake. Firefighters are working the fire.
• Coffin Fire started 7/9/2026. Size– 0.10 acre. Location–Northwest of Echo Lake. Duplicate fire
• Wolfpack Fire (BWCAW) started 7/9/2026. Size–5 acres. Location–Southeast of Wolfpack Lake. Remote location. Suppression activities are being conducted
• Sioux Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–6.5 acres. Location–North of the Echo Trail and east of Jeanette Campground. Status: Firefighting resources are working on direct suppression and working towards containment.

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• Ridge Fire started 7/8/2026. Size–6 acres. Location–East of the Vermilion River. Working a dozer from the north to assist with suppression. 75% containment.
• Marion Creek Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–0.1 acres. Location–West of the Vermilion River. Minimal fire activity for suppression activities.
• Beaver Tail Fire started 7/8/2026. Size–10 acre. Location–West of the Vermilion River. Blowdown and dead balsam. Aircraft assisting with suppression. Firefighters have a hose line in and are suppressing
• Fools Gold started 7/8/2026, Size–2.1-acres, Location–West of Norway Road and south of Lake Jeanette. Cause: Unknown. Status: Firefighters and aircraft are conducting direct suppression on the fire. 60% contained.
• Echo 2 Fire started 7/8/2026, Size–0.25 acres. Location–off the Echo Rapids Rd, north of Echo Lake. Status: The fire is 100% contained. Firefighting resources continue to check fire activity.

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• Camp Fire started 7/7/2026, Size–1 acre. Location–8 miles N/NE of the Cloquet Line near Ely. Cause is under investigation. Status: Crews have made great progress and continue working towards further containment.  80% contained.
• Bear Trap Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026, Size–4-acres. Location–off the Bear Trap River & N of Sunday Lake. Caused by lightning. Status: Remote with difficult access. Minimal fire activity. Aircraft are dropping water on this fire.
• Thumb Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026, Size–143 acres. Location–remote & located between Thumb and Contentment Lakes. Caused by lightning. Status Remote with difficult access. US and Canadian aircraft are conducting water drops on the fire.
• Section 3 Pond Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026, Size– 2.3 acres. Location–on Section Pond, east of Lac La Croix. Cause is under investigation. Status: This fire is 100% contained. Demobing tomorrow.

Air Operations
 Aircraft are available and may be brought in to help support the fire. A reminder - flying drones over the fire is prohibited. If drones are detected near the fire, any air operations supporting the fire will stop. Drones are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas.