Cook County Fire Management update, 1 PM, Sat. Sept. 17

In this interview from 1 PM, Saturday afternoon, WTIP Program Director Roger Linehan talked with Gunflint-Tofte District Fire Information Officer Ron Sanow. Their discussion is based on the Cook County Fire Management Information noted below.  Cook County Fire Management Information

Noon, Saturday, September 17

Fire Information Office: Ron Sanow, 218-820-3141

Today: The East Zone is in a heightened wildfire staffing mode today to respond to new starts and to continue monitoring and suppression activities on existing fires in this area. The East Zone is staffed with eight engines. Four of these eight engines are from outside of the local districts. Support personnel complimenting the engines is significantly ramped up today with the increase in burning conditions.
The local Grand Marais DNR Forestry office is also staffing three engines. One of these engines is from out of the area.

Weather Today: Mostly sunny with maximum temp’s in the mid 60’s. Humidity will be in the low to mid 30’s today. Winds are expected to be south from 11-16 miles per hour with gusts to 25 miles per hour. There is a 20% chance of light precipitation entering the area late tonight. Fuels will continue to dry today with fire becoming more active with intermittent crowning likely on new starts.

Local Air Resources: Three detection flights are scheduled for this afternoon. A light initial attack helicopter is on duty at Grand Marais and a medium initial attack helicopter with support crew from Ontario will also arrive today. It will also be stationed in Grand Marais. Two CL-215 initial attack water scoopers are stationed in Hibbing. Two Blackhawk National Guard helicopters equipped with 660 gallon buckets, assigned to the Pagami Creek Fire, are available for initial attack off of the fire. Additional water scooping CL 215”s are available in quick strike package from Ontario.

New Fires on September 16, 2011:
• Trestle Fire is a human caused fire resulting from an escaped camp fire. It is one tenth of an acre in size. It is located on Trestle Pine Lake and outside of the BWCAW. Ground forces attacked and contained this fire. The fire will continue to be monitored.
• 326 Fire resulted from a lightning strike in a large old white pine. The fire is one quarter acre in size and was suppressed with ground forces. The fire will continue to be monitored.

Recent Fires:
Gunflint District Fires
• Lake 12 Fire is a human caused fire and it is located near Greenwood Lake. It is 1.5 acre fire. It has been suppressed and is currently being monitored for smoke daily.
• Skipper Fire it is lightening caused fire, 1.5 acres in size, along the edge of the BWCAW. It was reported by recreationists who greeted ground suppression forces upon arrival. It is being monitored for any smoke daily.
• Seagull Road Fire was caused by last Monday’s high winds that toppled a tree onto a powerline. It is 7 acres in size and has received suppression actions by ground resources. It is being monitored for smoke daily.
• Lullaby Fire is half way up the Gunflint Trail. It is a lightning caused fire. It was detected by air and received several aerial water drops. It is being monitored for smoke daily.

Tofte District Fires
• Kelso Island Fire, the cause has not yet been determined , it is one tenth of an acre in size and is located on a small island in Kelso Lake. It is being monitored for smoke daily.
• Little Bear Fire is a lightning fire, 14 acres in size that occurred in a 60 to 70 year old red pine plantation. It is being monitored for smoke daily.
• Horn Fire is one tenth acre in size that was caused by lightning. It is located on the edge of the BWCAW, north of Crescent Lake. Suppression efforts included aerial water drops and it is being monitored for smoke daily.
• Nine Mile Lake Fire is a human caused fire, on private property, on an island in Nine Mile Lake. Suppression efforts included aerial water drops and it is being monitored for smoke daily.
• Van Lake Fire is a lightning caused fire in the middle of the BWCAW wilderness two miles south of Kek Lake and two mile west of Little Sag. It is seven acres in size; it received aerial water drops and is being monitored daily for any smoke.

Grand Marais DNR Forestry has suppressed one human caused fire on Devil Fish Lake and has declared it out.

Fire Restrictions: Open fire has further been restricted all Superior National Forest lands and all State and private lands within the administrative boundaries of the Superior National Forest within Cook, Lake, and St Louis Counties.

As of 12:01 am Friday, September 16, 2011 no cooking or recreational fires are allowed except pressurized liquid gas stoves on all lands within the administrative boundaries of the Superior National Forest. On these same lands possession or use of fireworks is prohibited and no open burning permits are allowed. Use of charcoal fires is not allowed within the Superior National Forest boundaries.

For the areas of Cook, Lake, and northern St Louis counties, not within the Superior National Forest, and for Koochiching and Itasca counties camp fires or recreational fires are allowed only in a designated fire receptacle designed for such use and associated with a residence, dwelling, campground, or resort. No open burning permits will be issued to the general public in this area also.