Spice Lake Fire Facts Sheet for June 19, 2023
Spice Lake Fire
News - 06/19/2023
Spice Lake Fire Fact Sheet
June 19, 2023 8:00 a.m.

MNICS Team B- Incident Commander Aaron Mielke

Fire Information: 218-248-7240 (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

Email: 2023.spicelake@firenet.gov

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-news/mnsuf-spice-lake-fire

Superior National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/superior

Date Detected: June 13, 2023, Current Size: 22 acres, Containment: 80 percent
Summary: Late in the afternoon on June 13th, a wildfire was detected between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on the Gunflint Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. Spice Lake is located east of Knife and Kekekabic Lakes and southwest of Seagull Lake, approximately 10 miles west of the Gunflint Trail.

Current Status: Fire activity has been minimal with creeping and smoldering in mixed timber and brush. Fire crews are mopping up and making sure fire perimeter lines hold with the potential for increased winds this week. Mopping up involves putting water on the fire, and using tools to mix it into the soil and duff to extinguish the heat until the area is cooled. Firefighter and public safety are the number one priority. The fire has been initially determined to be human caused and is still under investigation.

Planned Activity: Firefighters are making good progress patrolling and mopping up the fire. In addition, they are working with on-site resource advisors to ensure wilderness values, long-term ecosystem health, and impacts to wilderness are minimized. The nineteen-person hotshot crew that has been working on the fire has reached their 14-day fire assignment limit and will be paddling out today to demobilize from the fire. Thirteen firefighters remain on site at the fire area. No precipitation was received on the fire.

Closure Area: The Superior National Forest has implemented Forest Order (09-09-23-03) for a closure area of lakes, portages, and trails around the fire for public safety. Public safety crews have redirected visitors and posted portages closed. Details can be found at Superior National Forest - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov).

Fire Restrictions: The Superior National Forest has implemented a Forest Order (09-09-23-02) for campfire restrictions due to continued dry conditions and very high wildfire danger. This Order will remain in effect until further notice. See the Superior National Forest website https://www.fs.usda.gov/superior for more information on fire restrictions.

Business Update: No businesses along the Gunflint Trail have closed due to the fire and are ready to help with trips and services. If you have an upcoming reservation, please contact your guide or cooperator or the Superior National Forest with questions.

Cooperating Agencies: Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department, National Park Service, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The fire has been initially determined to be human caused and is still under investigation.

That really sucks.

Atom: "

The fire has been initially determined to be human caused and is still under investigation.

That really sucks."

It really does and it surprises me. No part of the burn area is exactly close to a campsite. Ogish Site 1 and 13 and the Spice Lake Campsite are all the closest, but they aren't exactly that close. If the fire didn't start from a campsite, that means something else. A fire outside of a grate? Was someone smoking and being careless? Many of the other fire causes outside of a wilderness area don't apply like vehicle sparks or down powerlines. Something prompted the change in assessment though from "cause unknown" on day 1 to this statement now. It'll be interesting to see the investigation play out. I'm curious about what they'll find.

Atom: "

The fire has been initially determined to be human caused and is still under investigation.

That really sucks."

I wonder how they determine that? I mean do they simply rule out a few other sources - like no lightening around that time frame, so it must be human? The fire perimeter isn't anywhere near where you'd expect to find someone. There's no campsites or hiking trails anywhere in the vicinity of the fire area. Weird.

Fire is 90% contained as of this morning.

Pinetree: "Fire is 90% contained as of this morning."

Thanks all you firefighters and coordinators out there. This was looking like a 1000+ acre fire from the outset wasn't it?

OgimaaBines: "

Pinetree: "Fire is 90% contained as of this morning."

Thanks all you firefighters and coordinators out there. This was looking like a 1000+ acre fire from the outset wasn't it?"

I’m impressed. Have been up on the Canadian side of Sag all week and the winds every afternoon have been strong. I would’ve thought these were conditions ripe for growth of the fire and they have knocked it down. Thanks for keeping us all safe and allowing our annual trip to go off without a hitch.

Btw the fishing has been lights out!

OgimaaBines: "

Pinetree: "Fire is 90% contained as of this morning."

Thanks all you firefighters and coordinators out there. This was looking like a 1000+ acre fire from the outset wasn't it?"

Ok gleaning information from the daily updates, in the early stages, the plan was to construct "indirect line" using portages and other features and back burn from there to the actual fire. This would have resulted in the 1000 acres they were talking about.

Something changed, because then they switched to fighting the fire directly i.e. walking up to it and putting it out with water like we used to do in the old days.

The forest service has really emphasized firefighter safety in recent years and I'm sure this use of indirect methods (building fire line well away from the fire) is the result of this emphasis on safety.

marsonite: "

Something changed, because then they switched to fighting the fire directly i.e. walking up to it and putting it out with water like we used to do in the old days.


The forest service has really emphasized firefighter safety in recent years and I'm sure this use of indirect methods (building fire line well away from the fire) is the result of this emphasis on safety.


"

Just my humble opinion having fought fires on a few BW fires including the Pagami.

1,) The shallow soils with ledge rock has always made me super nervous as far as falling trees are concerned.

2), If your contingency/injury/evacuation plan revolves around aircraft.
2-b) Find another contingency plan.

Explanation: Aircraft cannot be counted on because of countless limitations, and the old adage still stands in firefighting.

1 Life
2 Property
3 Resources

Hook em all Adam.

LindenTree: "

marsonite: "


Something changed, because then they switched to fighting the fire directly i.e. walking up to it and putting it out with water like we used to do in the old days.



The forest service has really emphasized firefighter safety in recent years and I'm sure this use of indirect methods (building fire line well away from the fire) is the result of this emphasis on safety.



"

Just my humble opinion having fought fires on a few BW fires including the Pagami.


1,) The shallow soils with ledge rock has always made me super nervous as far as falling trees are concerned.


2), If your contingency/injury/evacuation plan revolves around aircraft.
2-b) Find another contingency plan.


Explanation: Aircraft cannot be counted on because of countless limitations, and the old adage still stands in firefighting.


1 Life
2 Property
3 Resources"

Well I have no beef with an emphasis on safety.

I'm just genuinely curious why on the June 16 update they say they are working on indirect line because it's safer, and on the June 17 update they talk about building direct line and mopping up the fire.

Marsonite, there are many reasons why the change in strategy. A change in weather patterns making it safer to go direct and keep the fire size to a minimum. This doesn't take a huge amount of resources like preparing to backfire a 1000 acres would. This would also keep the closure order shorter. Could you imagine how big of an area they would have to closed and for what length of time for a 1000 acre burn! And this is at the start of canoeing season. Keeping in mind the three main factors that effect fire behavior, fuel (you have a lot of) weather,and topography (not to much back there). Weather, especially wind, is the biggest factor. It can change in a heart beat. The longer it takes to control a fire the greater chance you have adverse weather. Wind or maybe rain. Rain on your backfire would be a real bummer!! I wonder if a little input from the community had something to do with the change?

yogi59weedr: "Hook em all Adam."

Hooked a bunch and even landed a few. Full report in the fishing forum. Hope the Ely trip was a good one for you!