The U.S. Forest Service has it's hands full in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness fighting a wildfire that broke out Tuesday afternoon.
News Anchor Dan Wolfe with KBJR-TV in Duluth provided an update for News Talk 830 WCCO.
"It's 30 acres burning about 10 miles to the west of the end of the Gun Flint trail. So, in a remote area in the Boundary Waters," Wolfe said. "Not currently as far as we can tell, threatening any structures. But last we heard they were working on a plan for suppression efforts.
The fire, being called the Spice Lake Fire, is burning between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake, southwest of Seagull Lake. It was noticed Tuesday night, just before a campfire ban for the entire BWCA went into effect. There is no known cause of the fire at this time.
Superior National Forest officials say it's still smoldering and holding at roughly 30 acres today. There are reports of heavy smoke in the Grand Marais area, but that is still being attributed mainly to fires burning in Canada.
The good news is the fire has not been spreading since it was first noticed Tuesday.
Wolfe says forest service officials are making sure campers and canoeists are safe.
"They got in contact with some of the campers and canoeists that were in that area and directed them off of the lake safely to try to get them out of what could be harm's way," Wolfe explained.
The fire is in a very remote area which is over an hour northwest of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Most of the terrain is lakes and wilderness frequented by campers and day-trips into the BWCA. It's the first wildfire in the BWCA this season.