Pagami Creek Fire update: Thurs, Sept. 15

In this interview from Thursday morning, September 15, WTIP's News Director Barbara Jean Johnson talks with Pagami Creek Fire Public Information Officer Doug Anderson.

Pagami Creek Fire Update for Thursday, Sept 15, 2011

Contact: Fire Information 218-365-3177 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

TODAY’S MESSAGE:
Management of the Pagami Creek Fire has transitioned to Doug Turman’s Type 1 Team from the Northern Rockies. The fire is under the Unified Command of Lake County and Cook County Sheriff’s Offices and the Superior National Forest. Cooler temperatures and a small amount of rain moderated fire behavior yesterday. Moderated fire behavior is expected again today. Direct attack began on the southern perimeter of the fire outside the wilderness. On the northwest corner, hose lays were extended and sprinkler systems were installed on portages.

ACTIVITIES TODAY:
Air resources will be active today, transporting crews, supplies as well as holding and reinforcing with the line.
Heavy equipment including bulldozers, engines, and tankers along with fire fighters will be building line and attacking spot fires.
A Community Meeting will be held daily at 11:00 a.m. at the Isabella Community Center until further notice.
In-coming crews will receive watercraft safety training and other orientation.

BWCAW CLOSURES:
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) closures remain the same. All entry points are closed except: entry points along the Echo Trail (including Mudro); #25 Moose Lake (travel allowed only up the chain and to the west); #26 Wood Lake; #24 Fall Lake; the whole Trout Lake section (separate section south of the Echo Trail); #42 Brule ONLY; #54A Seagull ONLY; #55A Saganaga ONLY; and the Vento section (small separate section northeast of the Gunflint Trail).

ROAD CLOSURES:
Road closures remain the same. Note: Highway 1 is still open.

Closed roads include:

All roads north of Highway 1 from Forest Road (FR) 1468 east to Isabella;
Wanless Road (FR 172) east to Cramer/Lake County Road 7;
Cramer/Lake County Road 7 north to FR 354;
FR 354 north to BWCAW boundary at Kawishiwi Lake.
The Wanless Road is closed.
Staffed road blocks within Lake County will be at:
the intersections of Wanless and Cramer,
Highway 1 and Wanless,
Hwy 1 and Tomahawk Trail.
The road block within Cook County will be Hwy 3 just west of Sawbill Road.
Additional closures may occur.

SAFETY:
The Superior National Forest and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are enacting additional fire restrictions for areas outside the BWCAW. Go to MNICS.org and the Superior National Forest websites for further information.

DATE OF DETECTION: August 18, 2011

CAUSE: Lightning

CURRENT SIZE: 100,000 acres

LOCATION:
The fire started at Township 63 N, Range 9 W, approximately 14 miles east of Ely (within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness [BWCAW]) in the Pagami Creek area between the South Kawishiwi River, Clearwater Lake, and Lake One. The Fire perimeter from the north is Lake One, Lake Two, Lake Four, Lake Insula. The perimeter from the east is the southern edge of Lake Polly and east of Kawasachong Lake, the northwest and southern shore of square Lake, the west shore of Perent Lake, and the northwest shore of Silver Island Lake where it exited the BWCAW. The southern perimeter crosses the intersection of Island River Road and Lake Twenty Nine Road, Twenty Nine Lake, and the Isabella River to just inside the BWCAW at Bog Lake.

AGENCIES:
Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Superior National Forest

SMOKE CONDITIONS: Smoke may be heavy and wide-spread depending on wind direction.

RESOURCES: 325 personnel are assigned to the fire. Additional crews arrived last night and more are coming in today. Crews are here from Minnesota, New Jersey, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and California.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Phone (218) 365-3177

Internet: www.inciweb.org/incident/2534

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