Ham Lake Fire
From BWCAWiki
The Ham Lake Fire was a forest fire that burned in May 2007 on the western end of the Gunflint Trail. The fire started on Ham Lake and quickly spread northwest to Round Lake and then turned north and burned across the end of the Gunflint Trail. By the time it was contained, the fire had burned 36,443 acres in the United States and more than 75,000 acres in total, making it the largest forest fire in the region in at least a century.
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Location
From the origin, the perimeter of the fire connected Ham Lake, Round Lake, Brandt Lake, Everett Lake, Bingshick Lake, Honker Lake, Paulson Lake, Seagull Lake, End of the Trail Campground, Gull Lake, the Gull River, Marabaeuf Lake, and Larch Creek. This included developed areas on the northern side of Round Lake, the eastern end of Seagull Lake, and the entire Trails's End area, as well as the Gunflint Trail itself.
Origin and development
The fire was first observed at about 11:30 AM on Saturday, May 5, 2007, and is reported to have started at a campsite on the northwestern shore of Ham Lake. From there the fire quickly spread northwest, pushed by 20 mph winds. On May 6 the fire turned north and reached Seagull Lake. The fire continued north on May 7, burning across the end of the Gunflint Trail and crossing Marabaeuf Lake into Ontario Crownlands.
The fire burned into land previously burned by the Cavity Lake Fire (2006), the 2003 Arc Lake prescribed fire, the Sag Corridor Fire (1995), and the Roy Lake Fire (1976).
Impacts
More than 30 structures were lost on Round Lake, Seagull Lake, and the End of the Trail area. No serious injuries were reported.
Tuscarora Outfitters and a few private residences were evacuated near Round Lake on May 5.
On May 6, the entire western end of the Gunflint Trail, from the Cross River to the End of the Trail, was evacuated as the fire continued to spread. This evacuation closes a number of BWCAW entry points, including popular Saganaga Lake and Seagull Lake.
See also
References
- Fires spread along Gunflint Trail, Star Tribune, May 6, 2007
- Fire forces evacuation of lodge near Gunflint Trail, St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 5, 2007
