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Businesses feeling wildfire toll in Minnesota
From outfitters to resorts and local businesses in downtown Ely and surrounding areas, owners say they are feeling the economic toll of the wildfires in northern Minnesota.
ELY, Minn. (FOX 9) - While fire officials say they are in a better spot Monday, the rare Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) closure has been devastating for local businesses that rely on summer tourism.
From outfitters to resorts and local businesses in downtown Ely and surrounding areas, owners say they are feeling the economic toll.
Lightning storm ignited blazes
The backstory:
Fire officials say July 6 lightning strikes ignited dozens of wildfires in and around the Boundary Waters. The complex became known as the July Lightning Incident.
Crews are also actively fighting the Little Knife Fire to the east.
The U.S. Forest Service closed the entire BWCAW on July 14 for only the third time in history. Forest
Service officials began implementing phases to re-open select entry points starting in Cook County Monday.
Several zones in Lake County and St. Louis County were under an evacuation order, most have been reduced or lifted. A couple zones remain under evacuation orders.
Navigating economic toll
By the numbers:
Fire officials estimate the July Lightning Incident has burned more than 64,000 acres and the Little Knife Fire is roughly 5,000 acres in size.
Meanwhile, more than 1,100 firefighters helped during the efforts to contain the wildfires.
Fire officials say across all fire footprints they have reached an average containment of 53%.
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Ely Community Response begins to wrap up operations
After serving as a resource hub for wildfire evacuees, Ely Community Response is beginning to close its operations at Ely's State Theater. Emily Roose joins us to reflect on the community's response, the support provided during the wildfires, and what's next as recovery continues.
What they're saying:
As firefighters focus on containment, business owners say they are in a battle against mounting losses.
The husband-and-wife owners of Moose Track Adventures Resort, located east of Ely, bought the business in 2002.
The team also provides outfitting and guide services, but as wildfires forced evacuations and wilderness closures, guides and outfitters are navigating the lack of visitors instead.
"Between phone calls of outfitting cancellations, we’re losing money on a daily basis," said Jim Blauch, owner of Moose Track Adventures Resort, who estimates losses to be in the thousands of dollars daily.
Local business owners also say the past few weeks have been challenging in downtown Ely.
"I’m certainly feeling that lack of that business. There’s some traffic, which, of course, I’m grateful for, but this is when we should be in peak season," said Kelcey Lee, owner of Potluck Kitchenware, who estimates sales are down 60%.
Ely-area businesses want visitors to know Ely is open for business, and will be beyond the summer months.
"I am hopeful that the trend of the last couple of years, which hit a really strong fall season. I’m hoping that the weather accommodates that," said Lee.
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MN wildfires: More BWCA openings could be coming
The U.S. Forest Service could further reduce closures in the Boundary Waters after some entry points were reopened for day use on Monday.
What's next:
Gov. Tim Walz and state lawmakers are discussing what relief packages could look like to help communities and business impacted.
The U.S. Forest Service announced a partial re-opening of the Boundary Waters starting Thursday, July 30, for both day and overnight use.
The phase will include 41 entry points in the central and east portions of the wilderness area, which represents roughly 39% of the BWCAW.
Although law enforcement is loosening evacuation statuses and select wilderness closures are re-opening, fire officials say they have a longer-duration strategy for some areas of the fire complex and expect fire to be on the landscape for months.