For the latest on the Greenwood Fire from the Superior National Forest Service, click HERE.
The Superior National Forest is closing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) Wilderness, effective August 21, 2021, due to active and increasing fire activity, extreme drought, limited resources. The closure will be in place until Friday, September 3rd, and may be modified or extended as conditions allow.
This closure includes all lands, waters, trails, portages, campsite, canoe routes and Wilderness entry points in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Forest has notified permit holders and outfitters and is cancelling permits today through August 27. Permit holders will be fully reimbursed. At this time, all overnight paddle, day use and motorized day use is cancelled. The Forest will reopen portions of the Wilderness and/or some uses when it is safe.
The Forest Service has a list of closures in place for the Greenwood Fire and other incidents in the area (click here). Beyond that, the Forest is open to the public. There are 254 backcountry campsites outside the wilderness that offer remote paddling, camping and fishing. Here you can experience solitude without reservations, fees or permits and still have a fire grate and latrine. Many backcountry campsites are located on canoe routes outside the BWCAW. State forests and parks and county lands are also available for recreation.
The Superior National Forest also offers 23 developed campgrounds and 18 rustic campgrounds. Rustic campgrounds are free of charge and available first come, first served year-round. Fee campgrounds are open May – September and may be reserved at Recreation.gov. See the Forest website for more information.
For more information on the closure, please see the BWCA Closure Order. Thank you for your cooperation. To see the full Forest order and other alerts go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/superior
FIRE INFORMATION: For Greenwood Fire information, visit Inciweb at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7805/ or call 218-499-9441. For all other fires on the Superior National Forest, please call 218-214-7844.
AIR QUALITY: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert effective until 3 p.m. on Friday, August 20, for the inland portion of Minnesota’s Lake County. For other areas go to: Air Quality Index webpage.
FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Fire restrictions are in place for the Superior National Forest and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for areas within state jurisdiction Cook and Lake Counties and northern St. Louis County.
Superior National Forest: Fire Restrictions Order and our Campfire Restrictions. See our FAQ for more information.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: MN DNR Wildland Fire Information
For Superior National Forest Closures visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/superior/alerts-notices
For Superior National Forest Fire Restrictions visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/superior/alerts-notices/?aid=67256
For MN DNR Fire Restrictions visit: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/index.html
Lake County Emergency Management at 773-844-6449. Sign up for emergency text alerts at www.co.lake.mn.us/emergency-mangement/.
Emergency Contact Phone Numbers:
Lake County Emergency Management: 773-844-6449
Greenwood Fire Public Information Line: 218-499-9441
Greenwood Fire Phone Line for Media Inquiries: 614-205-9333.
• USDA Forest Service
• Lake County
• Lake County Sheriff’s Office
• MN Department of Natural Resources
Comments