All about the Minnesota fire that’s affecting our air quality

As smoke bellows in from the north, the source is a wildfire that has been burning for almost a month in the boundary waters. Below is information about the fire.

Basic Information
Incident Type: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Date of Origin: Thursday August 18th, 2011 approx. 12:00 AM
Location: In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, approximately 14 miles east of Ely.
Incident Commander: Jim Hinds
Current Situation
Total Personnel: 130
Size: 11,000 acres
Fuels Involved: FM10, TU2
Fire Behavior: Spreading surface fire with group torching, spotting and crown runs. Expecting increasing fire behavior as the temperatures increase and relative humidity decrease during the day.
Significant Events
Several lakes to the east and south and a hiking trail system have been closed and campers and hikers are being moved from the area, some by Forest Service float planes.
Outlook
Planned Actions: Holding and reinforcing operations with CL 215s and Canadian CI-415 aircraft. A large Public Safety and public information efforts continue to work with campers, outfitters, and the community.
Growth Potential: High
Terrain Difficulty: High, ie roadless wilderness, water access only, limited air access.