Prescribe burn update from the USFS - September 26, 2014

September 26, 2014

Yesterday, a test fire showed conditions to be too moist for good consumption of hazardous fuels to ignite the Coo Lake North unit. Cloud cover that was predicted to break up by mid-afternoon did not disperse.

A meteorologist from NOAA joined the crew yesterday evening. Spot weather predictions indicated good burning conditions for today, September 26, 2014. The Bear Island Island Unit was chosen because of predicted wind direction, temperatures, and expected weather over the next few days. 

Hazardous fuels have been cleared from around two eagles nests and two campsites. These four areas of concern are ‘plumbed’ with sprinkler hoses. Ignition crews will be following burn patterns designed to protect pine stands on the interior of the island while consuming hazardous fuels on the edges. 

• Coo Lake North, T63N, R13W, S20, is 19 acres, is on a peninsula on the western edge of Burntside Lake.
• Bear Island Island Unit, T61N, R13W, S10, 121 acres, is the large island in the center of Bear Island Lake.
• Kangas Burn Unit, T61N, R12W, S14, 99 acres, is south of the Blueberry Lake Road (St. Louis County Road 120) at the end of U5192AA south of Little Lake.
• Pine Ridge Unit, T65N, R16W, S1, 90 acres, is north of the Echo Trail and west of Jeanette Lake.

Please leave fire fighters space to do their work. Be mindful of aircraft. They may need to scoop water from the lake. Please don’t park fire engines in—they may need to respond to other fires or re-position to support the prescribed burn.

All Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Points and Superior National Forest Trails are expected to remain open. People may see and smell smoke. As always, the safety of fire fighters, residents, and visitors is the first priority in using fire to reduce hazardous fuels. There will be increased traffic on roads and the lake due to fire operations. Aerial resources may be used for safety, communications, additional control, and monitoring.  

For maps and more information: http://www.fs.usda.gov/superior or call 218-365-7600. (Not all of the units shown on the maps are scheduled to be burned at this time.)