BWCAW fires contained but flare up worries continue

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ELY, Minn. - The wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota have been contained or put out, but officials are keeping an eye on the weather heading into the week.

Becca Manlove with the U.S. Forest Service says the forecast calls for warmer temperatures, a little more sun and a little more wind, so they'll be watching to see if any new fires pop up. Manlove says rain would be welcome in the region.

The largest of the recent BWCAW fires, at Cummings Lake, north of Ely, burned about 50 acres but Manlove says there were no injuries or structural damage.

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A drop in humidity, a surge in temperatures and the gusting of winds will all add up to critical fire danger across western Minnesota. Red flag warnings are posted along a line from Albert Lea and Mankato, up through Willmar, Wadena, Bemidji and Roseau. Forecasters say conditions will stay dangerous through late evening and likely continue well into Tuesday.

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To go along with western Minnesota's red flag warnings, the northwestern quarter of the state is currently under an extreme fire danger rating. The DNR calls the conditions "explosive" from both the Canadian and North Dakota borders to the Brainerd Lakes area. Fire danger is also very high throughout much of the rest of central and northern Minnesota.

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