Communities near the BWCA say wildfires come with a difficult economic downturn

Despite still-burning wildfires in the area, the BWCA and Superior National Forest is partially reopening for overnight use Thursday, good news for those that depend on tourists. But the situation remains fluid.

Ely Mayor Heidi Omerza spoke at a press conference Monday.

"There has been some economic downturn because of what is going on right now," Omerza said. "You may not be able to quite get the Boundary Waters experience that you want, but there are a lot of other things you can do."

Mayor Omerz and other leaders stressed that Ely remains open, despite the surrounding fires. Explore Minnesota reports that outdoor recreation in Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties has an economic output of $973 million.

"I'm going to be leaning on everybody who loves Ely to help us move forward," Omerza adds.

In Grand Marais on Friday, state Senator Grant Hauschild and Representative Roger Skraba are holding a second roundtable to talk about the economic impact of the fires.

The overnight openings Thursday covers about 39% of the central and eastern BWCA, mostly in Cook and Lake counties. Day use resumed Monday. The U.S. Forest Service says they are monitoring the situation daily, and will open more of the BWCA if conditions improve.

A campfire ban remains in effect. But gas stoves are allowed for cooking.

The weather is expected to cool slightly later this week, but there's very little rain in the forecast for the area.

Also on Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the current peacetime emergency is giving the state time to lay the groundwork for what an economic recovery package would look like. The current emergency ends August 11.

Walz isn't ruling out extending it, nor is he ruling out a special session to address bigger issues.

"If there is a special session, it should focus on the fire and the recovery of northern Minnesota, and that's it," Walz said Monday. "And you can do more work next year when you come back."