Overall combined acreage of the July Lightning Incident is 64,156 acres in the United States and an additional 8,443 acres in Canada. Estimated acreage of the Little Knife Fire is 4,958 acres. There is a total of 1,274 personnel on the July Lightning Incident and a total of 87 personnel on the Little Knife Fire. Containment estimates continue to fluctuate based on current fire behavior, fuels, weather and using natural barriers like lakes and waterways for containment perimeters. The public can support firefighters and their safety by adhering to all evacuations, closures, and fire restrictions; by refraining from flying drones, which endanger firefighting aircraft; and by keeping boats off the water in areas where water-gathering aircraft are operating.

Ongoing assessments, mapping adjustments, and field observations continue to refine the status of each fire within this incident. Updates will reflect the most accurate information available as conditions evolve.

An interactive map is available for residents and property owners to determine evacuation levels for their property. Residents and property owners can search this map by address to determine exact locations and evacuation levels. Click on the county name below for county-specific information.

St. Louis County: No changes to evacuation levels since Wednesday, July 22. “Ready” and “Set” zones west of the Echo Trail and the Crane Lake area have been completely lifted. Please visit the St. Louis County Emergency Management website for more information. County emergency managers continue to consider which evacuations can safely be downgraded in consultation with the incident management team.

Superior National Forest:   Forest Officials announced on July 24 that a Proposed Phase 2 plan - could be implemented this week barring no significant wildfire activity over this weekend.  The proposed Phase 2 Plan would open select entry points on the eastern side of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) to overnight use.  The Forest announced Phase 1 earlier this week that select BWCAW entry points will open to the public for ‘Day Use’ on Monday, July 27, on the Gunflint and Tofte Districts (Eastern side of the forest), and BWCAW Overnight permits were cancelled through July 29, 2026. Daily, the Forest Service continues to evaluate the affected BWCAW quota permit entry point areas and other recreation areas outside the BWCAW in an effort to reopen select areas (as fire activity, weather and resources allows). A BWCAW Closure Order is in place to protect public and firefighter health and safety. The public is encouraged to monitor the forest’s Alerts webpage and recreation webpage for open and closed areas.

Superior National Forest Forest-wide Fire Restrictions are in effect.

Minnesota DNR fire restrictions are in effect.

Today will be the warmest of the next several days with daytime highs expected to approach or surpass 90 degrees. Northwesterly winds are expected by this afternoon with gusts near 18 mph. Showers and thunderstorms are possible this afternoon into this evening. A few thunderstorms may be severe and capable of producing frequent lightning, brief downpours, large hail, and very strong winds.

Yesterday’s sunshine, above normal temps, and lower relative humidity began drying surface fuels across all fires. These areas will likely remain active with surface fire until they are hit by afternoon showers. Today’s thunderstorms may bring more lightning and the potential for new fire starts.

Camp: Approximately 4,407 acres. 39% contained. Location – 5 miles north of Winton. Yesterday, crews mopped up along the southwestern flank of the fire and continued structure assessment and prep in the Fernberg Road corridor. Today, crews are improving Forest Road 459 and 460, working on securing fireline to prevent southern fire progression, and mopping up east of Camp Lake. Structure protection crews are also assessing structures on the Cloquet Line today.

Sioux: Approximately 12,668 acres. 27% contained. Location – North of the Echo Trail and east of Jeanette Campground. Portions of the fire are burning in BWCAW. Yesterday, crews cleared trees that fell during Friday night’s storm from firelines. Today, crews continue to mop up deep, concentrated pockets of heat south of Echo Trail and work on direct fireline on the eastern flank of the fire. Structure protection and assessments are ongoing.

Little Knife: Originated in Ontario and crossed into the United States. Approximately 4,958 acres. 38% contained. Today a smokejumper module will be inserted in the BWCAW by canoe and will join a hotshot crew to focus on securing the eastern perimeter of the fire. Additional resources continue to arrive and be trained to be deployed into the BWCAW. Managed by the National Incident Management Organization (NIMO).

Bear Trap (Bear Trap and Dark Fires combined): Approximately 37,837 total acres (29,767 acres in the United States). 38% contained. Location – South of Lac La Croix, 20 miles north of Ely. Yesterday, crews finished widening the fuel break to at least 30 feet, north of Echo Trail, from Forest Road 460 to Forest Road 199, and today crews will work on increasing that width to up to 100 feet. Chipping around structures at Lodge of Whispering Pines continues today and crews will also look for ways to tie in the Angleworm trail into wet drainages or cold, black fireline.

Thumb: 17,236 total acres (16,890 acres in the United States). 56% contained. Remote and located 6 miles south of Gakijiwanong Anishnaabe Nation Canada. Yesterday, a hotshot crew removed all operational equipment off the line and today they demobilize from the fire via watercraft.

Chub: 344 acres. 95% contained. Location – North of Chub Lake, southwest of Crane Lake. Crews will continue with mop up to extinguish pockets of heat throughout the fire interior. 

493, Echo 2, Beaver Tail, Ridge, Creek, Marion Creek Trail, Nine, Camp 5/Duck, Bug Creek, Coffin Fires: 64.4 acres combined for all ten fires. All are 100% contained. Crews continue to patrol these fires, searching for smoke and hot spots and extinguishing any lingering heat.  

Long Lake Fire: 15 acres. Crews are using tracked vehicles with tanks to secure the fireline and mop up hot spots.

Little Lake and 614 Fires: For information contact Leanne Langeberg, [email protected].

 

On the evening of July 6, a dry thunderstorm moved across northeastern Minnesota and southern Canada resulting in more than 1,000 lightning strikes, causing dozens of fire starts. As unprecedented dry and warm conditions followed in the days after, fires were detected across Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. Where fires were accessible by ground, firefighters kept some of the fire perimeters small in size, but due to the number of fires, locations and number of firefighters and equipment, some of the fires continued to smolder and grow in the following days. Local fire managers ordered many additional resources including engines, hand crews, aviation resources and two incident management teams to support firefighting efforts. While some of the fires were contained, several have continued to grow due to record-breaking high temperatures and low humidity. Additional firefighters, equipment and support staff continue to be ordered as needed.