(WWJ) -- A wildfire is burning on Isle Royale National Park, prompting park officials to close several trails, campgrounds, scenic points and docks on the island, located in Lake Superior.
A post from the national park’s Facebook page Sunday evening said the closures were necessary “to maintain public health and safety,” noting closed areas will be signed where possible and monitored to ensure compliance. There were roughly a dozen spots on the island affected by the closures, according to the Facebook post.
Officials say the fire, which is being called the Horne Fire, is burning on the remote island’s east end, and was approximately 200 acres in size, as of Sunday evening. Authorities have not said what sparked the fire, but noted ongoing drought conditions and “elevated levels of fire danger” have prompted the closures.
The island, which has long been a destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, is located in the northern waters of Lake Superior, about 15 miles from the shores of Minnesota. Isle Royale is roughly 45 miles long and nine miles wide.
Crews have been working to extinguish the fire, including using planes to ferry water over the flames, according to a report from MLive.
A satellite image released by the National Weather Service in Marquette shows the fire grew “dramatically” over the weekend, with smoke evident in the satellite images.
Park officials had not provided an update on the fire, as of 6 p.m. Monday.
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