Check this page for daily updates. Containment is climbing across the July Lightning Incident’s major fires as evacuation zones shrink to the areas closest to the flames. The Forest Service is reopening 41 BWCAW entry points for day and overnight use starting July 30.
Citing continued dry conditions and wildfire activity, the Superior National Forest is issuing an Emergency Forest Order banning campfires within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 11, 2026, until rescinded.
The Forest Service plans to lift closure of Trails End Campground on July 29. Recent rain has moderated fire activity, officials said, firefighters remain actively engaged in suppressing the Little Knife Fire nearby.
Ten days after wildfires closed the entire BWCAW, the Forest Service is reopening day-use access at select entry points starting Monday, July 27. Overnight camping could partially resume next week if the weekend brings no major fire activity.
Quetico Provincial Park has pushed its proposed reopening to August 8, and Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources has issued an evacuation alert for the Canadian counterpart of the Little Knife Fire grows.
BWCAW permits are cancelled through July 24, and the closure order now formally runs through October 1, or until rescinded. The Forest Service said this week that it is assessing opportunities to reduce the closure in areas where conditions allow.
Their Boundary Waters trip started with mosquitoes, unusually warm weather, and rugged portages. “Little did we know, those trials by fire were going to be just stick kindling compared to the real fires ahead…”
Officials representing multiple agencies, including the USFS-Superior National Forest, held a press conference Wednesday at the Kawishiwi Ranger Station in Ely. They provided updates and plans for the wildfires burning in the BWCAW and northeastern Minnesota.
With the entire Boundary Waters closed and no reopening date announced, outfitters on both sides of the wilderness are scrambling — canceling and rerouting trips, fielding calls from visitors who flew in from across the country, and hoping the next few days bring better news.
Quetico Provincial Park has closed Dawson Trail Campground due to nearby forest fire activity, according to the park’s alerts page. All backcountry entry stations are also closed.
The USDA Forest Service is closing public access to portions of the BWCAW to protect public health and safety. One order closes three wildfire areas surrounding the Bear Trap, Thumb, and Wolfpack fires in the LaCroix Ranger District, affecting 13 entry points; a second closes 15 lakes in the northwestern Gunflint Ranger District, effective July 12, due to a wildfire in Quetico Provincial Park.
A small wildfire detected in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness last week is now fully contained, the Superior National Forest said in its final update on the fire July 5.
The USFS announced that the ban on campfires in the BWCAW would be lifted as of June 12. The restriction was announced due to dry conditions and elevated wildfire risk.
Three new wildfires ignited in the BWCA due to storms that passed through the area on Thursday, June 4. The Superior National Forest said that crews have been working on management and suppression techniques. The wilderness campfire ban will remain in effect through June 30.
A wildfire broke out on the afternoon of June 1 near Burntside Lake. Driven by hot, dry conditions and light southeast winds, it spread quickly to an estimated 30 acres by evening.
A rapidly spreading wildfire northeast of Two Harbors has forced mandatory evacuations, damaged structures, and closed a major stretch of Highway 61. Driven by dry conditions and high winds that sparked fires across the region, crews are working to contain the Stewart Trail Fire. Here is what wilderness travelers and North Shore visitors need to know.
A local company is using trees damaged by wildfire on state and federal lands to make lumber, pallets, and other products. As crews open areas, the Forest Service will restore some of the fire-impacted land with new tree seedlings and seeds.
Each spring, the Forest Service plans prescribed burns throughout the Superior National Forest. The work is expected to begin this month and, depending on conditions, will go through June. This is done annually to help safeguard communities from wildfires and reduce fuel loads. See which areas are scheduled for burning.
The USFS–Superior National Forest began prescribed burns on 3,600 acres across the forest in mid-September. The agency will continue burning through early winter in areas identified as high wildfire risk or near communities. These efforts support a healthy ecosystem while reducing wildfire danger.
A lightning strike sparked a wildfire near the Horse River in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This comes after an active wildfire season has scorched nearly 30,000 acres in the Superior National Forest this year. The Forest Service has issued a closure order for the route along the Dog Sled Portage and has encouraged visitors to avoid the area.