Cook County Fire Management update: Fri., Sept. 16

Cook County Fire Management Information
5 PM, Friday, September 16

Ron Sanow, Fire Information Officer

Today: Both districts are in heightened wildfire staffing mode to respond to new starts and to continue monitoring and suppression activities on existing fires in this area. The Gunflint District staffing plan includes five engines and the Tofte district has four engines staffed. Four of these nine engines are from outside of the local districts.

Weather Today: Mostly sunny with maximum temp’s in the 54-59 range. Humidity will be lower today reaching 25 to 30 percent. Winds are expected to be south to southwest increasing to 9-14 miles per hour with gusts to 20 miles per hour. No precipitation is expected. Fuels will continue to dry today with fire slowly becoming more active as the day progresses.

Local Air Resources: Two detection flights are scheduled for this afternoon. A light initial attack helicopter is stationed in Grand Marais with an additional medium arriving late today. 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.

Recent Fires:

Gunflint District Fires

Lake 12 Fire, is a human caused fire, it is located near Greenwood Lake. It is 1.5 acre fire. It has had ground suppression work and is currently being monitored for any smoke daily.
Skipper Fire, it is lightening caused fire, it is 1.5 acres in size and in the BWCAW, and it was reported by recreationists who greeted ground suppression forces upon arrival. It is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Seagull Road Fire, is a fire caused by last Monday’s lightning storm. It is 7 acres in size and has received suppression actions by ground resources. It is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Lullaby Fire, It is one half the way up the Gunflint Trail and in the BWCAW. It is a lightning caused fire. It was detected by air detection and received several aerial water drops and is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Tofte District Fires

Kelso Island Fire, the cause of this fire has not been determined yet, it is one tenth of an acre in size on a small island in Kelso Lake. It is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Little Bear Fire, this is a lightning fire, 14 acres in size that occurred in a 60 to 70 year old red pine planting. It is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Horn Fire, this is a one tenth acre fire that was caused by lightning. It is located on the edge of the BWCAW and north of Crescent Lake. Suppression efforts included aerial water drops and it is being monitored for any smoke daily.
Nine Mile Lake Fire. This 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 any smoke daily.
Van Lake Fire, This 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.
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. Charcoal fires are allowed only in a grill or other receptacle designed for such use and associated with a residence. Charcoal fires are allowed only in a grill or other receptacle designed for such use and associated with a residence.

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.