The Forest Service officially announced the closure Monday, confirming the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is temporarily closing to all visitors beginning at 12:01 am Tuesday, July 14. The agency called it a difficult decision, made after a surge of wildfires — up to 19 on the forest since July 7, with new fires emerging daily — and unusually hot, dry, windy weather causing fires to spread fast and unpredictably. The closure will remain in effect until the fires are contained and the risk to the public has decreased.
“This closure is about keeping people safe,” the announcement states. Beyond the flames, the agency cited dangerous smoke, unstable conditions, and rapidly shifting fire behavior that can trap visitors with little warning — and noted that in a wilderness as large and remote as the Boundary Waters, emergency response is challenging even on a normal day.
The Forest Service asks visitors currently in the wilderness to evacuate now. Staff are focused on firefighting and public notification, the agency says, and the million-acre wilderness is too large and remote to safely locate and escort every visitor.
About 1,900 wilderness campsites are included in the closure; the BWCAW draws more than 150,000 visitors a year. For alternatives, the Forest Service points to 23 developed campgrounds, 18 rustic campgrounds, and 254 backcountry campsites outside the wilderness, many along remote canoe routes with no fees, permits, or reservations needed.
The agency says it is using full suppression tactics on every fire, though many are difficult to reach safely. Dry vegetation — including standing and downed trees affected by spruce budworm — is fueling faster spread, and a MNICS incident management team is supporting suppression operations. Fire danger is very high from Duluth through the Arrowhead to the North Shore and is likely to remain high through the end of July. Smoke from fires on the forest and in Ontario is shifting with the wind daily; current air quality is at AirNow.gov and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Maps and the emergency order: Superior National Forest Alerts
July 12 Update:
The U.S. Forest Service will close all Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness entry points effective 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, July 14, according to a notice sent to BWCAW permit cooperators Sunday night and shared publicly by several outfitters. The Forest Service has not yet issued a public announcement; the notice says an updated closure order and map will be available Monday.
According to the notice, the closure is being made “due to extreme weather conditions and numerous wildfires burning within the Superior National Forest and BWCAW, to protect the health and safety of visitors and firefighters.”
The notice states:
- Overnight paddle, overnight motor, and overnight hiking reservations with entry dates of Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 17 will be cancelled.
- Day-use motor reservations with entry dates of Tuesday, July 14 through Friday, July 17 will be cancelled; day-use motor visitors may proceed as planned on Monday, July 13.
- Beginning Tuesday, July 14, no visitors will be allowed to enter the BWCAW, including for day use.
- Crews will begin moving visitors out of the wilderness on Tuesday, prioritizing areas most vulnerable to wildfire activity.
- Full refunds will be processed automatically, and permit holders will receive a cancellation notification email from Recreation.gov.
It would be the first closure of the entire wilderness since August 2021, when the Forest Service shut down the BWCA during severe drought and the Greenwood Fire.
The closure follows a weekend of dramatic fire growth. See the latest fire updates here.
We will update this story when the Forest Service releases the closure order. Permit holders should watch for cancellation notices from Recreation.gov, check with your outfitter, and check official sources before traveling.
Fire information line:
218-881-2091 (8 a.m.–8 p.m.) or 2026.JulyLightningEvent@firenet.gov
More information:
- Superior National Forest Alerts (USDA Forest Service)
- July 2026 Superior NF Wildfires (InciWeb)
- Superior National Forest Facebook Page
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