Lake Jeanette Campground reopens as closures continue to ease

REGIONAL- Public access continued to expand this week in portions of the Superior National Forest affected by the July Lightning Fires, with Lake Jeanette Campground and several nearby recreation sites reopening Tuesday as containment increased on the region’s three largest fires.
The reopening included Lake Jeanette’s boat launches and backcountry campsites, along with the Nels Lake boat launch and backcountry sites. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Point 12 at Little Vermilion Lake also reopened for day use only.
Entry Point D, providing day-use access to Fall Lake, Newton Lake, and Pipestone Bay, reopened Saturday.
The openings mark another step toward restoring public access following a wildfire response that involved as many as 1,200 firefighters. However, National Forest System land along the northern portion of the Echo Trail remains closed.
Wilderness rangers were continuing to assess portages, landings, and approximately 150 campsites in fire-affected areas that remain closed. The inspections are intended to identify hazards and determine when additional portions of the wilderness can safely reopen.
Visitors returning to areas affected by the firefighting operation may see what the Forest Service calls “suppression repair,” work required after crews used wilderness routes to reach remote fires, lay hose, and store equipment and supplies.
Small understory shrubs and branches were cleared along sections of some portages, leaving wider sightlines and reduced vegetation near the fire areas. Crews also cleared severe blowdown around Angleworm and Gull lakes. The work supported fire suppression while accomplishing trail-clearing projects that otherwise would have taken the Forest Service considerably longer to complete.
At the height of the response, approximately 150 firefighters were camped at remote locations within the wilderness. Many had little or no previous BWCAW experience and received canoe training and Leave No Trace instruction before being deployed.
More than 100 firefighters and heavy equipment were working along the Echo Trail this week to complete an extensive fuel break intended to provide long-term protection for nearby areas. The public is being asked to drive slowly and use caution in the work areas.
Boat and helicopter crews were also scheduled to retrieve contingency equipment and supplies remaining in the wilderness around the Thumb and Bear Trap fires.
The Sioux, Bear Trap, and Thumb fires totaled 71,675 acres as of Monday, with 324 personnel assigned to the incident.
The 6,833-acre Sioux Fire, located north of the Echo Trail and east of Lake Jeanette Campground, was 94 percent contained. The Bear Trap Fire, 20 miles north of Ely, was 92 percent contained at 39,327 acres.
The 25,515-acre Thumb Fire, six miles south of Gakijiwanong Anishnaabe Nation in Canada, remained the least contained of the three at 59 percent.
Command of the three fires transferred last Thursday from Southern Area Complex Incident Management Team 1 to National Incident Management Organization Team 1.
The Superior National Forest resumed local command of the 4,357-acre Camp Fire, five miles north of Winton, which was 97 percent contained. Forest personnel were also continuing to patrol the fully contained Muskeg Creek Fire near Pipestone Bay and the 4,815-acre Little Knife Fire, which was 95 percent contained.
After light showers and scattered lightning Sunday night, drying and warming conditions were expected through much of the remainder of the week. Temperatures were forecast to reach the upper 70s and lower 80s, while relative humidity was expected to remain around 50 percent.
Breezy conditions were also expected, with winds shifting from the southwest to the west and gusting above 25 mph. Fire activity was expected to consist primarily of continued smoldering.
Fire restrictions have been lifted throughout the Superior National Forest, including the BWCAW, although restrictions remained in place at Grand Portage as of Monday. Temporary flight restrictions associated with the fires have also been rescinded, while the permanent flight restriction covering the BWCAW remains in effect.