Overview
- A lightning storm on July 6 ignited dozens of fires that have grown into a multi‑jurisdictional complex burning roughly 64,000 acres in the U.S. and about 8,400 acres in Canada.
- Forest Service officials are managing three major fires inside the Boundary Waters — Bear Trap (~37,837 acres), Thumb (~17,236 acres) and Little Knife (~4,958 acres) — with containment ranging from the mid‑30s to mid‑50s percent.
- County sheriffs and emergency managers have downgraded or lifted most evacuation orders in St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties while a few zones remain under 'go' evacuation status.
- The U.S. Forest Service has begun a phased reopening of select BWCAW entry points for day use and plans wider overnight access if fire behavior and weather remain favorable.
- Local businesses report steep summer losses as tourism halted, Gov. Tim Walz is weighing a narrowly focused special legislative session on relief, and crews say remote terrain and heavy fuels will keep some fires active for months.