Campfire ban lifted at Superior National Forest, including BWCAW

DULUTH – The Superior National Forest has lifted its forestwide campfire ban, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, effective Friday.

Recent rain and humidity have improved conditions across the national forest’s 3 million acres, forest officials said in a news release.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has also lifted fire restrictions in Cook, Koochiching, Lake and northern St. Louis counties.

Fire danger is still a concern this time of year, said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.

“As leaves fall and vegetation continues to dry out, it’s important for people to be cautious with anything that can cause a spark,” she said.

Some of the closures the national forest enacted for the Wood and Shell lake fires within the BWCAW have been reduced.

The national forest imposed its broad campfire ban nearly two weeks ago, after a third wildfire, named for Bogus Lake, was discovered on forest land. No significant fire activity has been reported in recent days for any of those three fires. A fourth fire inside the forest, the 8.5-acre Pfeiffer Lake Fire, started Oct. 17. It was contained within 24 hours, the Forest Service said.