The ham lake fire burned for more than a week, blackening about 57 square miles of the superior national forest in and near the boundary. Fire behavior and effects, suppression, and fuel treatments on the ham lake and cavity lake fires 5 executive summary fire behavior, suppression, and fuel treatments background ham lake fire on may 5, 2007, an escaped campfire ignited the ham lake fire that burned approximately 75,000 acres on the superior national forest. The boundary waters canoe area wilderness will reopen on tuesday for. In general, verified populations are established and have been verified by a taxonomic expert. Ham lake fire fire history the area fire name date acres roy lake 8211976 3,380 sag corridor 8101995 12,600 alpine lake 862005 1,335 cavity lake 7142006 31,830 ham lake 552007 74,789 payer lake 1,500 total 125,434 fire severity interpretation. View a fire dept photo, logo, contact info, map, volunteer info, mission statement, fire equipment, firefighters and statistics. Its likely to be of interest mostly to people who live in or near the boundary waters, people who have spent time there, and people with a particular interest in wildfires. The story of the ham lake fire, at the time the most destructive wildfire in modern minnesota historythe blaze, the firefighters battle, the human toll on may 5, 2007, two days into his twentyseventh trip to the boundary waters, stephen posniak found a perfect spot on ham lake and set about making a campfire. We are super excited about the addition of ham lake resort to our family. Ham lake fire, gunflint trail, north of grand marais, mn. What followed was an unstoppable elevenday fire event. Ham lake is located in the central part of anoka county.
Ham lake wisconsin department of natural resources. At the may 16 meeting, canadian ministry of natural resources mnr incident commander called the ham lake fire a threeheaded monster, pointing to the threeprongs of the fire, reaching up toward the islands on lake saganaga and the northern lights lake area. The story of the ham lake fire, at the time the most destructive wildfire in modern minnesota. Gunflint burning is about the ham lake fire, which occurred in minnesotas boundary waters canoe area wilderness in 2007. This monster started last weekend near the gunflint trail in northeast minnesota, and is now some unknown size larger than 50 square miles. East bethel north columbus east lino lakes southeast coon rapids southwest oak grove northwest the community of soderville is located within the northern part of the city of ham lake. Then a weather system spawned strong, incessant winds. Video of the ham lake fire as it burned near the gunflint trail in 2007. Bwca ham lake and cavity lake fire area boundary waters. You can hear the rapids of the kawishiwi river between koma lake and malberg lake when it is quite.
I would have liked to have seen more maps of the progress of the fire from day to day to follow the way the book was written. With jake and mike, our two new staff members trial by firewe quickly had to show mike how to lift a canoewe loaded all of the kevlar canoesa fuel sourceand left them temporarily on trailers at gunflint. The ham lake fire started out slowly on saturday morning but picked up steam throughout the night. Our fire department grew as a result of the fire, valentini said. Fire severity from satellite data after the ham lake fire. The book is a detailed account of what really happened when an unattended campfire on ham lake, in the eastern section of bwca wilderness, blew out of control on may 5, 2007. Well written book that not only tells the story of the ham lake fire in northern.
This fire was started by lightning on july 14 and is burning in the boundary waters canoe area wilderness bwcaw, approximately 2 miles south of seagull lake. This means awesome canoe trips into the wilderness for our guests. It is a nice campsite if you dont mind the area being a little barren. The ham lake fire burned for more than a week, blackening about 57 square miles of the superior national forest in and near the boundary waters canoe area. Seagull, alpine and saganaga were affected by the ham lake fire as it burned over 75,000 acres until it was contained. Well written book that not only tells the story of the ham lake fire in northern minnesota, but also how wilderness fires are fought across the country. Along the minnesotaontario border, the ham lake fire was billowing a thick cloud of smoke toward the east on may 10, 2007, when moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer on nasas terra satellite captured this image. A dry winter and spring, coupled with strong winds, aided in the burning of 75,000 acres and the destruction of hundreds of properties. Ham lake fire department station 1 cultural feature building in anoka county. The department responds to around 400 calls each year. Very interesting recap of the ham lake fire in the bwca. If you are planning on using moose lake as your entry point into the bwca, most groups head northeast and either paddle up to prairie portage where you can get into basswood lake or head into quetico provincial park or head into splash lake and ensign lake. A great landing and plenty of level ground for sleeping and moving about makes up for the scars. Exploring the campsite on the north point of ham lake.
It is travelable with a 4 wheeler, though the first 100 yards of trail from the trailhead is narrow and has a sideslope. It provides access to many of the entry points in the bwcaw. Ham lake is a 96 acre lake located in sawyer county. This spring the weather is starting out hotter and drier than last year, and the spring fire season has brought us the ham lake fire. At the may 16 meeting, canadian ministry of natural resources mnr incident commander called the ham lake fire a threeheaded monster, pointing to the threeprongs of the fire, reaching up toward the islands. Ham lake fire department station 1 is a cultural feature building in anoka county. Ham lake fire progression map, courtesy usda forest service. Figure 3 photograph of large, landscape prescribed fire treatment being conducted11 figure 4. The ham lake fire department is a paidoncall department operating from two fire stations with approximately 35 firefighters. The city of ham lake has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this web site. The ham lake fire in the boundary waters canoe area wilderness was almost bound to happen that spring. Almost one third of the 8 structures destroyed by the ham lake fire in may 2007 were part of wilderness canoe base. Thank you to all that attended the heart safe training last night. The shores of round lake didnt burna narrow strip from ham lake, through the woods, down the access road, then beyond.
Campsite can be a little exposed being up high and open to the west and south. While a few campsites remained closed for visitor use, most of the area affected by the fire has been reopened to the public. I always thought it hypocritical of the govt, to aggressively go after posniak in the ham lake fire, but then let the pogami creek fire simmer for 3 weeks, before it eventually grew exponentially. But since the ham lake fire, officials say residents are much more cautious about fire and prepared for the next blaze. The ham lake fire began on may 5th and quickly spread to create mosaic burn patterns in a number of places. Fire e behaviorr fuel l treatments s ham m lake e and d. Figure 2 map of blowdown in northern minnesota in cavity and ham lake fire areas 10. Stories from the ham lake fire quetico superior foundation. Ham lake fire department is located in ham lake, mn. The cavity lake fire showed very little activity since midaugust. Aquatic invasive species ais records are assigned statuses of verified, observed, or no longer observed based on ais status guidance. The story of the ham lake fire, at the time the most destructive. The story of the ham lake fire, at the time the most destructive w. Video submitted to wtip, north shore community radio from barb tuttle.
Map of the bwca blowdown of 1999 with cavity and ham lake. Fueled by a dry spring, erratic winds, and tinder from the 1999 blowdown, the fire grew to be one of the largest in minnesotas history. The primary coordinates for ham lake fire department station 1 places it within the mn 55304 zip code delivery area. This is the campsite on the north end of koma lake closest to the 24 rod portage leading to malberg lake. Ham lake fire, 2007 a campfirestarted blaze consumes some of the forest affected by the wind storm of july 4, 1999, in the boundary waters canoe area wilderness. On gunflint trail, memories of devils fire still burn. To see the lake on a fully interactive map, click on the view on interactive map link found below. One day later, they found themselves in the midst of a warming of a decidedly different sort, as the ham lake fire roared up the east side of seagull lake and headed for their campsite. In fact, valentini was one of the first new members to volunteer. The ham lake fire began may 5, 2007, with a seemingly innocent campfire. Oct 21, 2008 the ham lake fire burned for more than a week, blackening about 57 square miles of the superior national forest in and near the boundary waters canoe area plus about 61 square miles across the. The campsite has a nice sandy beach to land your canoe on.
The audio below is an hourlong commemorative feature on the 10 year anniversary of the ham lake fire, with reflections from residents of the gunflint trail and others who were directly impacted by the fire. Forest service, the bwca fire began burning on a much. Ham lake lies just outside the bwca, but cross bay lake lies within it. Forest service crews have worked with partners to rehabilitate campsites, trails and portages. Remembering the ham lake fire friends of the boundary. On may 5, 2007, an unattended campfire ignited the ham lake fire in the superior national forest in minnesota. Of the camps 60 structures, 40 were consumed by flames, including outhouses and staff cabins. Cary griffith is the author of the forthcoming book gunflint burning.
It burned more than 75,000 acres and destroyed over 100 structures, including many longtime family cabins. Bwca gunflint burning the book boundary waters listening. At the time of the ham lake fire, it was the second largest and costliest wildfire in the states history since the cloquet fire of 1918. Bwca ham lake and cavity lake fire area boundary waters trip planning forum. According to media reports, it may have grown by 20,000 acres yesterday alone. It also means an awesome adventure up to the end of the gunflint trail to get a first hand view at forest fire. However, a lot of it read like a government report with lifeless narrative on who showed up when and what they did. Heart safe ham lake provides free compression only cpr and aed use training to ham lake groups and businesses.
I pass some rock outcrops that are dappled with a patchwork of bright orange lichens. Map of the extent of the cavity and ham lake fires, map of the ham lake fire progression, map of the bwca blowdown of 1999 with cavity and ham lake. The fire at ham lake, which is just outside the bwca, burned 76,000 acres. Probably the way it had to be written as a nonfiction book, but i ended up power scanning the last 75 pages. Twelve years ago, the ham lake fire devastated the border region around the gunflint trail. There have been two large bwca fires since the 1999 blowdown cavity lake in 2006 32,000 acres and ham lake 76,000 acres the following year. It quickly blew out of control, fanned by erratic winds and fueled by tinder dry conditions. Places where modis detected actively burning fire are outlined in red. This site is outside the bwca on federally owned land. Figure 20 map of prescribed fire treatments and recent wildfires that aided.
The forest fire, rated the most destructive in minnesota since 1918. To see the portage on a fully interactive map, click on the view on interactive map link found below. Explore all ham lake has to offer with a stay at ham lake resort. The ham lake fire history, science, life, sports, books. A look back on the ham lake fire a wtip onehour original. Bwca, boundary waters, online maps, ham lake login. The story of the ham lake fire, at the time the most destructive wildfire in modern. The ham lake fire burned 75851 acres in the bwcaw in 2007 but. P072 17 rods the portage out of ham lake was a little steep at the start but short, and im now at the cross river again on my way to cross bay lake. Sue ahrendt, who owns tuscarora lodge with her husband, andy, declined tuesday to say whether posniak had been a customer or if they know him. I would have liked to have seen more maps of the progress of the fire from day to. Minnesota state highway 65 serves as a main route in the city.
I was going to bring my kids to play at bakers while i was at the meeting, but on my way, i heard mike on the radio mention the word evacuation. Ham lake is a 16 acre lake located in forest county. The indictment said posniak told investigators he traveled through ham lake on the way to tuscarora lodge. Campsite on ham lake a boundary waters canoe area bwca. The trail from the kekakabic hiking trail to the old tower site was cut open by a fire crew after the cavity lake fire in summer 2006. Didnt take long to complete the short portage and im now at ham lake. Fire behavior and effects, ham lake cavity lake fires. The pagami creek fire has charred over 100,000 acres of the bwca. May 06, 2017 the ham lake fire began may 5, 2007, with a seemingly innocent campfire. Ten years ago today an ember blew out of a fire a camper left at ham lake in northeast minnesota and started a blaze that burned 75,000 acres in. With its massive size comes an almost endless number of campsites running the gamut from some. In the case of this spot it is vastly different due to the ham lake fire in 2007. Ham lake fire department station 1 in anoka county, mn. In 2007 fire visited the end of the gunflint trail once again.
Ham lake is not in the bwca, so you are not required to have a bwca permit to camp on this lake. This is a large campsite, with plenty of places to pitch a tent. Located just 30 minutes from the twin cities, ham lake is in a perfect area for our members. Motors are allowed on moose lake, newfound lake and sucker lake. May 01, 2017 the ham lake fire started 10 years ago friday. You can click on the campsites, portages, and lakes on the map to go to their respective pages. On friday may 4th, lee frelich, gus axelson, and layne kennedy were on assignment in the boundary waters canoe area wilderness doing a story on global warming. The forest fire, rated the most destructive in minnesota since 1918, damaged or destroyed some 140 structures.
Features public land or park within feet of the lake 1. Man charged with causing 2007 ham lake forest fire mpr news. For over two weeks the fire burned over 75,000 acres, destroying cabins, businesses, and family residences. How can you go after a camper, for allowing a fire to get out of hand, and then intentionally let another fire do the same. About half of the ham lake fire was on the canadian side of the border. You will be surprised how easy it is and you could save a life. The good thing about the ham lake fire is very little of the boundary waters has burned. Ten years ago last may, an out of control campfire off the gunflint trail grew into a wildfire that burned 75,851 acres, a little less than half in minnesota and the rest in canada. County road 12, also known as the gunflint trail, or county stateaid highway 12, is a 57mile 92 km paved roadway and national scenic byway in cook county, minnesota, that begins in grand marais and ends at saganaga lake in the boundary waters canoe area wilderness bwca, near the u. However, due to the possibility of unauthorized access to this site, data transmission errors, or changes to source material made since the last update of the web site, the information contained on this web site should not be deemed reliable for legal purposes. Populations with the observed status have not been verified by a taxonomic expert or do not have established populations. For over two weeks the fire burned over 75,000 acres, destroying cabins.
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