Overview
- The wildfire was detected Monday afternoon near the North Arm of Burntside Lake and expanded to about 35 acres by the morning update on June 3 with containment reported at 10 percent.
- St. Louis County ordered evacuations for nine seasonal cabins along North Arm/Lindskog Road and structure-protection crews remain in place while Ely and nearby YMCA camps are reported not to be in immediate danger.
- About 80 personnel from federal, state and local agencies are assigned to the incident with engines, tracked vehicles, a Hot Shot crew on order, helicopters with buckets and CL-415 scooper planes making repeated water drops.
- Firefighters have built anchor and hose lines and are using direct tactics where safe while also relying on established prescribed-fire lines from the Geraldine unit for indirect containment after the blaze burned into that area.
- Officials warn that hot, dry weather and dead balsam fir are increasing fire risk, they have issued a temporary flight restriction, asked the public to avoid North Arm Road and to not fly drones, and say containment and weather will determine next actions.