ISLE ROYALE, Mich. (WWJ) -- Crews continue to work to contain the Horne Fire that has been burning on Isle Royale National Park since Aug. 10.
Officials say the fire, approximately 200 acres in size, is about 15% contained and the cause of ignition is suspected to be lightning.
“The health and safety of employees and visitors is our primary concern,” park officials said in a Facebook post Tuesday. “Additional fire management objectives are to contain the fire to the east of the Duncan Bay/Tobin Harbor Portage Trail, and to extinguish fire on Minong Island. Closed areas are signed and monitored to ensure compliance.”
Park officials included a full list of the areas closed in the Facebook post, including more than a dozen trails and campgrounds.
Crews have been working to protect several historic homes and cabins that date to the 1900s, which have been threatened by the fire. They used special planes, fixed wing aircraft, to collect water from Lake Superior to douse flames and protect the structures.
The summer months are a busy time for Isle Royale, with many hikers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts making the trip to the national park. While the park remains open to visitors, officials say some areas of the park, including campgrounds in the Rock Harbor, Three Mile, and Daisy Farm areas, are more crowded as visitors relocate from closed areas.
Officials say one outhouse was burned in the fire on Minong Island, but no other structures had been damaged, as of Tuesday evening.
More updates on the status of the fire can be found on the Isle Royale website, as well as their Facebook page.
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