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Documenting the wildfires in the BWCA
In "From Shoreline to Fireline" the U.S. Forestry Service is working to document the fight against this summer's wildfires in the BWCA.
(FOX 9) - After weeks of work by firefighters in northern Minnesota, all of Minnesota's major wildfires are now at 95% containment or better, according to federal trackers.
Fires approach full containment
By the numbers:
Two of the fires, the Dark Fire and Wolfpack fire, are at 100% containment, while the Little Knife Fire, Bear Trap Fire, and Thumb Fire are all 95% or better.
- Little Knife Fire: 4,163 acres burned, 95% contained
- Bear Trap Fire: 30,804 acres, 97% contained
- Thumb Fire: 25,014 acres, 97% contained
- Dark Fire: 270 acres, 100% contained
- Wolfpack Fire: 6,871 acres, 100% contained
The backstory:
Dry weather and lightning strikes led to more than two dozens wildfires breaking out across northern Minnesota in July.
The out-of-control fires led to the closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and a massive interagency firefighting response.
However, the U.S. Forest Service has since reopened most entry points, camp sites, and recreation areas are back open.
What's next:
Officials said the fires would likely keep burning in some form until the fall snowfall.
The Source: Federal data, and past FOX 9 reporting.