Wildfires continue to burn in northeastern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. And officials with the Superior National Forest are saying the BWCA could be closed through October 1 to protect public and firefighter health and safety. But they add conditions could change, and updates will come daily.
“We understand there was some confusion regarding closures generated by today’s (July 22) daily update,” a news release from the Forest Service says. “We apologize for any confusion this has caused.”
It comes as U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz testified before a House Agriculture subcommittee where Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig (DFL) raised the question of whether recent administration-mandated job cuts were partly to blame for the firefighting challenges in the BWCA.
She also asked him about a recent reorganization of the Forest Service.
"Before you started this reorganization, did you receive the approval of the appropriations committees to do so as required by law," Craig asked?
"Mr. Chairman, Ms. Craig, we did not receive approval because we did not think it was required by law," Schultz answered.
"I look forward to the courts opining on that," Craig retorted.
Craig suggested recent job cuts within the service may be contributing to the challenges in taming the BWCA wildfires, and also criticized the Forest Service's recent reorganization.
"History shows that requiring employees to uproot their families and relocate across the country leads to substantial attrition at a time when the Forest Service is already struggling to retain experienced personnel," Craig said. "That is a risk this agency cannot afford."
News frustrates BWCA outfitters
Meanwhile, a Forest Service supervisor says they'll evaluate the BWCA closure daily, and will also review whether some areas could reopen before October.
The news, as expected, comes as a great disappointment to those who make a living in the Northwoods, including Dave Seaton who owns Hungry Jack Outfitters in Grand Marais.
"It is frustrating because then we have people calling, and we have people wanting to cancel, and all that sort of thing," says Seaton. "And really, lots of people in some parts of the Boundary Waters are going to be able to do their trip and do them as they've planned."
He says they are expecting news Thursday that will better inform everyone as to what's open, and what's closed over the coming weeks in a part of the state that is so dependent on a short few months of summer tourism.
But Seaton thinks news may change, even as soon as the next 24 hours.
"For right now, today, that is the way they're looking at it," he says. "Tomorrow, my understanding is that they will be releasing some information that may contradict that."
The news was frustrating to outfitters in the area who say another update as soon as Thursday may change things
The news was frustrating to outfitters in the area who say another update as soon as Thursday may change things
