U.S. Forest Service Closes All BWCA Entry Points for 4 Days as 17 Wildfires Spread
Updated
Updated · The Ely Echo · Jul 12
U.S. Forest Service Closes All BWCA Entry Points for 4 Days as 17 Wildfires Spread
3 articles · Updated · The Ely Echo · Jul 12
Summary
Tuesday's shutdown bars all visitors from entering the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness through July 17, with Forest Service crews starting evacuations from the most fire-exposed areas and permit refunds issued automatically.
17 wildfires have ignited in and around the BWCAW after a lightning storm a week ago, and hot, dry, windy conditions under a Red Flag Warning pushed officials from partial closures to a full shutdown.
The largest fires include the merged Dark Fire-Bear Trap Fire at 700 acres burning toward Crooked Lake, the Thumb Fire at 600 acres, and the Sioux Fire at 288 acres, which prompted vehicle removals and evacuation notices.
Minnesota has already imposed burning restrictions across Cook, Lake and northern St. Louis counties, while Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and authorized National Guard support for the wildfire response.
The closure is the first for the BWCAW since 2021 and underscores how unusually dry conditions and limited firefighting capacity are widening the disruption across northeastern Minnesota.
With the BWCAW closed again, what has changed in five years to make these northern Minnesota wildfires so much more extreme?
As Minnesota’s fire season intensifies, can its $1.3 billion recreation economy survive the ecological fallout of these super-charged blazes?
Are Indigenous burning practices the key to preventing the catastrophic wildfires now threatening Minnesota's iconic Boundary Waters?
Minnesota Wildfires 2026: Boundary Waters Closure, Economic Fallout, and the Future of the BWCAW
Overview
Minnesota is facing significant wildfire activity as of July 13, 2026, leading Governor Tim Walz to declare a peacetime emergency and mobilize the National Guard to help contain the fires. The Wolfpack Fire, spotted in the Superior National Forest, has contributed to the temporary closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). As a result, officials have processed full refunds for affected reservations, and staff are closely monitoring the situation, with ongoing evaluations expected through at least July 17. These actions highlight the urgent response and ongoing uncertainty caused by the wildfires.