google.com, pub-2049694213563730, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 The Burn Area #BWCA 8 - myownplace
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9/15/15

The Burn Area #BWCA 8

9/15/2015
In 2011, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness experienced the worst fire in its history that destroyed over 100,000 acres of forestland. The Pagami Creek Fire was a wildfire in Northern Minnesota, USA, that began with a lightning strike on August 18, 2011.[1] After weeks of slow growth, the wildfire quickly spread to over 92,000 acres (370 km2) during several days of hot, dry, windy weather in mid-September.[2] The fire spread beyond the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to threaten homes and businesses.[3] There were no casualties or fatalities. Smoke from the fires drifted east and south as far as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Ontario, Chicago, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. It exceeded the Ham Lake Fire of Spring 2007 which also severely impacted the Upper Gunflint Trail, burning over 40,000 acres (160 km2) in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park. That fire lasted several weeks and claimed almost 200 structures, although no one was seriously injured or killed. It was started accidentally by an unattended campfire at a campsite on Ham Lake.
 
The area is recovering slowly but the evidence is clearly everywhere that this area was devastated. There are downed trees littering the hillsides and lakes. It appears as if the U.S. forest service attempted to save campsites as they seem to have some tall full grown trees that somehow escaped the flames. Or maybe they relocated campsites to areas that actually have some trees left.

But there are very clear lines of where the burn started and it was not in Lake Saganaga or Red Rock Lake. It was evident in Alpine lake and its surrounding areas, westward onto Ely. It made for easy firewood gathering, but also made me realize how prime the area is a for another fire with all the tinder of dried out trees littering the area. It also was not so pretty, except at night when everywhere was beautiful.
 

Ok here's a video I should have put in yesterdays post about latrines, because it has an interesting story, but I uploaded the videos like a week ago and I can't remember what they're all about. So anyway, take a break from thoughts about the burn area and come with me for a walk up the path.

 
Alpine Lake was entirely in the burn area, and I wonder if it affected the wildlife. The loons were very social and chattery on this lake day and night though. We didn't catch any fish on this lake despite it being known to be a good lake for fishing. Maybe next year.
 
But one thing the burn didn't affect was the beautiful sunsets, and later on the sky full of stars. The loons also communicated a lot at night and our campsite afforded us a view of the portage trail off the lake so we watched people arriving throughout the afternoon and evening. One party was seen by their headlight at 8:30 and must have had a few trips on that treacherous trail since they didn't push off into the night until almost an hour later.
 


Links to previous entries:
BWCA1   BWCA2
BWCA3   BWCA4
BWCA5   BWCA6
BWCA7
 
 
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