With a brutal heatwave lingering in northern Minnesota and several wildfires ripping through the region, the U.S. Forest Service has closed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The Star Tribune reported Monday morning that all potential visitors with overnight hiking, motor and paddle use reservations will be denied entry into the BWCA starting Monday and running through Friday.
Located along the Minnesota-Canada border, the BWCA consists of more than 1 million acres of glacial lakes and mixed North Woods forests. Motorized use is restricted here, making it the singular destination for traditional canoe trips through the unspoiled lake country of the Upper Midwest. More than 150,000 paddlers, anglers, and hunters visit the BWCA each year, with summer being the prime time for trips. The BWCA is an iconic destination for catching smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, and lake trout.
Recreation within the BWCA is a critical aspect of Minnesota culture and its economy. One 2016 study found the BWCA generated a total economic output of $78 million and 1,100 full- and part-time jobs (those numbers are likely higher today).
The Bearskin Lodge, which outfits paddlers into the BWCA, posted a notification on social media stating: Due to extreme weather conditions and numerous wildfires burning with the Superior National Forest and BWCAW, to protect the health and safety of visitors and firefighters, a closure of all BWCAW entry points will go into effect at 12:01 AM on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 … Additionally crews will begin moving visitors out of the BWCAW on Tuesday with priority on areas most vulnerable to wildfire activity. An update closure order and associated map will be available on Monday. Full refunds will be processed automatically. Permit holders will receive a cancellation notification email from recreation.gov.
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On Sunday, Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard for wildfire suppression assistance as more than 17 active wildfires burned throughout northern Minnesota.
“These fires are impacting the northwest part of the area, between Ely and Crane Lake, north of the Echo Trail and south of Lac La Croix along the Canadian border. In addition, the Minnesota DNR is leading response on five other fires in the same area,” according to a release from the governor’s office.
The Wildfire Explorer map shows several wildfire waypoints burning within the BWCA. The high temperature in Ely, Minnesota, a key jumping off point for BWCA travelers, is 96 degrees today and 90 degrees tomorrow. These are abnormally high temperatures for this region of Northern Minnesota.
The Ely Echo reports that a storm system moved through the area with thunder and lightning and little precipitation on July 6. After that, several small wildfires were reported. This will be the first BWCA closure since 2021, according to the Echo.
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It’s currently unclear how many paddlers are currently traveling through the BWCA or how they will be contacted by authorities. There are numerous popular paddling routes through the wilderness area and it’s not uncommon for paddlers to spend weeks at a time exploring the maze of waterways.
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