East Zone Fire update, 4 PM,. Sun., Sept. 18

Fire Information
Ron Sanow, 218-820-3141

Today: The East Zone continues to staff with engines, firefighters, and aircraft. The control of existing small fires within the east zone will be aided by today’s moderation in fire weather. The East Zone is again staffed with eight engines, each including an engine operator and one or two additional firefighters. The local Grand Marais DNR Forestry office is also staffing three engines one of which is from out of the area.

Weather Today: Cloudy conditions will exist today. Minimum humidity is not expected to drop below 60%. Winds are expected to be south from 10-15 miles per hour with gusts to 25 miles per hour after 11:00 am. Rainfall in the amounts of .05 -.10 of an inch can be expected. This very light precipitation and elevated humidity will have a cooling effect on fire activity. The fire is not expected to move much today.

Local Air Resources: Two detection flights are scheduled for this afternoon. One small and one medium size helicopter are stationed at Grand Marais. Both helicopters are capable of dropping water and are assigned initial attack responsibility. 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 from Ontario.

New Fires on September 16, 2011:
• Brule Fire- The cause of this fire is suspected to be lightning. It is a small remote fire located northwest of Brule Lake in the BWCAW. The medium helicopter from Grand Marais was dispatched and made several drops of water. It has been suppressed and is currently being monitored for smoke.

The Grand Marais DNR officials reported no new fire starts.

Recent Fires:
Fires recently receiving suppression action, either by ground forces or if remote, air drops of water, include:
• Gunflint District: Lake 12 fire, Skipper Fire, Seagull Road Fire, Lullaby Fire, Trestle Fire.
• Tofte District: Kelso Island Fire, Little Bear Fire, Horn Fire, Nine Mile Lake Fire, Van Lake Fire,326 Fire.

Fire suppression in remote areas is being generally accomplished through the use of aircraft, either by helicopter or airplane. Ground forces are generally used in less remote areas and are supported by aircraft. The status of these fires is checked daily until declared out.

Fires declared out:
Mitiwan Lake, Lupus Lake, Meridian

Fire Restrictions: Open fire has been restricted on 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.

Public Meetings:
Public meetings will be held on Monday, September 19, 2011 at the following times and locations.

Poplar Lake Fire Hall, 11:00 am
Gunflint Ranger District Office, meeting room, 7:00pm
Schroeder Town Hall, 7:00pm