Minnesota DNR tightens burning restrictions across St. Louis County

Campfires, brush piles and fireworks went off limits across Cook, Lake and northern St. Louis counties as state and federal fire managers moved to cut off new ignition sources while multiple wildfires burned in Northeast Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources set the county restrictions to begin Sunday, July 12, at 8 a.m., and the U.S. Forest Service had already imposed campfire limits in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and later across the Superior National Forest.

Under the DNR order, no burning permits can be issued or activated. Campfires are banned on state forest lands, including state forest campgrounds, dispersed camping sites and state park backcountry camping areas, and fireworks are restricted outside city limits.

The Forest Service’s emergency order, effective July 11 at 12:01 a.m., bars the ignition, building, maintaining, attending or using of campfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, including charcoal grills, barbeques, coal and woodburning stoves. A later order expanded those restrictions across the Superior National Forest boundary, which includes northern portions of Cook, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis counties.

WDIO counted 17 active wildfires in Northeast Minnesota on July 14, including three in the BWCA. A storm system moved through the area on the evening of July 6 with lightning and little precipitation, followed the next day by several small wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for northeastern Minnesota during the period of extreme fire danger, and Minnesota DNR fire guidance identifies escaped debris fires as the state's number one cause of wildfires.