U.S. Forestry Service: BWCA wildfires caused by lightning
Rustic Inn gathers wildfire relief donations
Two Harbors, Minnesota, mainstay the Rustic Inn and Café has begun to gather supplies for people affected by wildfires in the area – including two of their own employees. FOX 9 is joined by general manager Callie Hoff to learn about the efforts.
MINNESOTA (FOX 9) - The U.S. Forestry Service said Sunday three recent wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area were caused by lightning.
BWCA wildfires
The backstory:
The U.S. Forest Service — Superior National Forest reported Saturday two new wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) of northern Minnesota, while asking the public to avoid the new areas of caution.
The department said Saturday afternoon that one wildfire had been located near the east end of Lac La Croix (22 miles east of Crane Lake).
Meanwhile, a second had been located east of Loon Lake (11 miles east of Crane Lake) on the LaCroix Ranger District.
U.S. Forest Service officials confirmed Sunday that the BWCA wildfires started from lightning strikes after thunderstorms moved through the area on Thursday, June 4.
A spring of wildfires
Big picture view:
Other parts of northern Minnesota were impacted by wildfires last month. The Flanders wildfire burned more than 1,600 acres, impacting Crow Wing County near Breezy Point. Authorities say the wildfire likely started after a campfire got out of hand due to wind conditions.
The Stewart Trail wildfire started from a downed power line in early Mya. It burned more than 350 acres in the Two Harbors area, damaging 34 structures. It also forced the temporary closure of Highway 61 along the North Shore.
Both have since been contained.