Multi-agency crews respond to Birch Bay fire on Burntside Lake

Black smoke on the north side of Birch Bay brought a multi-agency wildfire response to Burntside Lake on June 1, and officials moved quickly to protect cabins and keep the fire from a busy lake-and-woods corridor northwest of Ely.

St. Louis County Emergency Management said area agencies were dispatched at about 2:56 p.m. after the smoke was reported near Birch Bay, about eight miles northwest of Ely. Later reporting identified the blaze as the Birch Bay Fire, burning near the North Arm of Burntside Lake in Morse Township. The response drew the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, and several local departments, including the Morse-Fall Lake Fire Department, Babbitt Fire Department, Ely Fire Department and Eagles Nest Fire Department.

As crews sized up the fire, officials ordered precautionary evacuations at the end of North Arm Road and Lindskog Road. Nine cabins were evacuated, and early reports said no structures were lost. The fire burned close enough to raise immediate concern for homes, cabins and access along the road corridor, with some updates putting the flames within about a quarter mile of North Arm Road. Two YMCA camps on the North Arm, Camp Du Nord and Camp Widjiwagan, were identified as nearby, but officials said neither camp was in danger.

The fire grew fast in the first day, helped by hot temperatures, low humidity and light winds. Updates put the blaze at about 25 acres, 30 acres and 35 acres as crews refined their estimates through the evening. Firefighting aircraft and helicopters were used to help slow the spread and support containment lines. By June 2, one update said the fire was about 43% contained, while another report on June 3 placed containment at about 10%, reflecting progress as operations continued.

The response underscored how quickly a wildland fire near Burntside Lake can become a public-safety issue for St. Louis County. The Superior National Forest asked the public to avoid the North Arm Road area, keep Burntside Lake clear for scooping aircraft and ground drones near the fire. Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said the cause remained under investigation and urged residents to take fire conditions seriously and make sure campfires are fully extinguished. For communities around Ely and Morse Township, the Birch Bay Fire was a reminder that early-season wildfire danger can reach cabins, roads and recreation areas within hours.