A wildfire burning through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has scorched more than 1,330 acres of forest in northeastern Minnesota and cost about $857,000 to fight, officials said Friday.
The Alpine Lake Fire, 50 miles northwest of Grand Marais, was 16 percent contained on Friday morning, up from 15 percent on Thursday afternoon, according to the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center.
The size of the fire increased almost 30 percent over 1,040 acres on Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters on Friday continue fighting the fire on the ground, and planes are available to dump water if needed. More than 200 firefighters are involved in fighting the blaze.
The fire is burning near the end of the Gunflint Trail between Alpine, Seagull, Red Rock and Grandpa Lakes. Strong winds of up to 20 miles per hour and dry conditions could pressure the eastern lines of the fire, officials said.
On Thursday, firefighters successfully burned areas on the north side of Seagull Lake that will help keep the fire from spreading east.
Eighteen campsites remain closed on Seagull Lake, Alpine Lake, Red Rock Lake and Red Rock Bay of Saganaga Lake. Fire officials have estimated it would take about two more weeks to get the fire under control.
Officials have banned campfires and wood-charcoal burning stoves in the area, unless they are in fire grates.Associated Press via the Minneapolis Star Tribune
