Lake County under red-flag warning as fire ban takes effect
Lake County is under a red-flag warning as a fire ban takes hold, with state National Guard support moving into a wildfire response already forcing closures in the BWCAW.
By 8 a.m. Sunday, Lake County was under a fire ban as hot, dry, windy weather pushed northeastern Minnesota into red-flag warning territory and Gov. Tim Walz sent National Guard support into the wildfire response.
On July 11 at 12:01 a.m., the Superior National Forest imposed an emergency campfire restriction in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Campfires, charcoal grills and barbeques, coal, and woodburning stoves were prohibited, while gas or propane cook stoves were still allowed. Forest Service alerts put fire danger at Very High in both the East Zone and West Zone, and warned that the potential for wildfire was high across all ownerships in northern Minnesota. Officials also urged people to be careful with smoking devices, dragging chains, and recreational vehicles that could spark a fire.
About 225,000 acres of the million-acre BWCAW were closed to public access to protect public health and safety. The shutdown affected entry points at Angleworm Lake, Little Indian Sioux River North, Moose/Portage River North, Mudro Lake, and South Hegman Lake, along with the Angleworm, Blandin, Herriman, and Sioux Hustler trails. Forest rangers were evacuating campers, even as more than 75 percent of the wilderness remained open. The Superior National Forest counted 16 active wildfires, with four inside the BWCAW, while MPR News counted 17 wildfires that week.
A thunderstorm system on July 7 brought lightning to northeast Minnesota but little precipitation. Joy VanDrie, a Superior National Forest spokesperson, called the weather hot, dry, and poor for fire conditions. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management division coordinates suppression, evacuation, and emergency response work.
In April, the county rolled out smaller wildfire evacuation zones after the 2025 Camphouse Fire, with wildfire named as its greatest natural hazard. The county’s latest Hazard Mitigation Plan was approved by FEMA in December 2024, and its Community Wildfire Protection Plan uses 19 planning zones built around READY, SET, GO, meaning potential evacuation, be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, and immediate evacuation. In nearby St. Louis County, the sheriff’s office activated standby evacuation under that same framework.
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