Thoughts on a fire ban? We are heading out the first week of June out of Ely. We are trying to food prep accordingly. But with a fire ban that is a significant food prep adjustment. Thoughts...

I was just up there and we had three days of rain, drizzle, mist, and snow. I don’t believe it was enough to change the whole situation but after I talk to the outfitter, it doesn’t sound like one for the next week or two. But a lot can change in two weeks.

Think about it carefully…. Yesterday, as the twin cities got almost 2” of rain and the temps barely reached 50°, Ely and the entire arrowhead was 20° warmer, dry and in a “Red Flag Warning”. Not much rain in the forecast for the next 10 days. Technically, there is no fire ban. Do you need a fire ban to make a common sense decision when you’re sitting at camp with a 12-15 mph wind blowing across your fire pit? Prepare your trip for a no fire situation.

I always go with the idea that there might be one and it might happen while I'm enroute - I travel a long way - and I'm not going back and changing everything. It depends on your options . . .

Twenty9inarow: "But with a fire ban, that is a significant food prep adjustment."

Having a ban on campfires should never be a "significant food prep adjustment." Bring a stove and use it safely.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html

As of today fire danger rating was dropped from extreme to high (2 levels down) but restrictions are unchanged.

I’m going in on Friday and assuming we may not have fires and even if there’s no ban will make a smart choice based on conditions. All of our food can be made on a jetboil so not concerned, personally, aside from loving some whiskey around the fire at night.

Wind forecast looks like it’s dropping quite a bit too, but reality may be different

Be safe out there, have a great trip

Jackfish: "

Twenty9inarow: "But with a fire ban, that is a significant food prep adjustment."

Having a ban on campfires should never be a "significant food prep adjustment." Bring a stove and use it safely. "

+1 anything that can be prepared over a campfire can also be prepared over a stove. It's not rocket science. I cook all my food over a stove and have never felt like it was a disadvantage.

I was up last week. There was no fire ban but there was also no way I would even have thought to build a fire. It was scary dry. The green up hadn't started yet, so if that has been happening the last 6 days since I got back that would help drop the danger.

Common sense should stop people from starting a campfire long before a ban is actually initiated. IMO once a it becomes necessary for a ban to be imposed, common sense should have indicated the danger and risk conditions for NOT starting a campfire would have been reached several days before the ban was actually imposed.

Not sure what sort of food can only be made over a campfire, that couldn't also be cooked over a camp stove?

Other than the traditional first night steak over an open fire, all other meals are cooked on my pocket rocket. Done that for almost 20 years now. Never an issue to cook with the pocket rocket - fire ban or not. Once had the cook the steaks (for our group of 9 with 7 being students from my school) on the pocket rocket in a torrential downpour - and we all survived and enjoyed the meal.

Karl: "https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html

As of today fire danger rating was dropped from extreme to high (2 levels down) but restrictions are unchanged.

I’m going in on Friday and assuming we may not have fires and even if there’s no ban will make a smart choice based on conditions. All of our food can be made on a jetboil so not concerned, personally, aside from loving some whiskey around the fire at night.

Wind forecast looks like it’s dropping quite a bit too, but reality may be different.

Be safe out there, have a great trip"

That will change next week after the warmup begins and no rain in site.

Thanks team for sharing your thoughts and opinions. That first night steak dinner, and the idea of bringing one or multiple jets stoves was on my mind.
-Appreciate all of you.

Pinetree: "

Karl: "https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html

As of today fire danger rating was dropped from extreme to high (2 levels down) but restrictions are unchanged.

I’m going in on Friday and assuming we may not have fires and even if there’s no ban will make a smart choice based on conditions. All of our food can be made on a jetboil so not concerned, personally, aside from loving some whiskey around the fire at night.

Wind forecast looks like it’s dropping quite a bit too, but reality may be different.

Be safe out there, have a great trip"

That will change next week after the warmup begins and no rain in site. "

The weather in northern Minnesota has become so chaotic that predicting past noon of the current day is iffy and you want to believe what is forecast for a week ahead?

14 day forecast-no rain

RMinMN: "

Pinetree: "

Karl: "https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html


As of today fire danger rating was dropped from extreme to high (2 levels down) but restrictions are unchanged.


I’m going in on Friday and assuming we may not have fires and even if there’s no ban will make a smart choice based on conditions. All of our food can be made on a jetboil so not concerned, personally, aside from loving some whiskey around the fire at night.


Wind forecast looks like it’s dropping quite a bit too, but reality may be different.


Be safe out there, have a great trip"

That will change next week after the warmup begins and no rain in site. "

The weather in northern Minnesota has become so chaotic that predicting past noon of the current day is iffy and you want to believe what is forecast for a week ahead?
"

Exactly! My girlfriend Belinda Jensen :) always says any weather report more than 48 hours is just for ratings. With the jet streams for all of Minnesota so much changes all the time it’s hard to predict weather beyond that and she has said beyond 24 hours their accuracy is still suspect.

I still watch the reports but I’ve seen so many times the 10 day forecast said it would rain every day and be a high of 60 only to have sunny and 70 daily by the time my trip starts and of course vice versa.

T

Always a 30% chance of something

Is the ban still in effect for the BW? We head to Knife in 6 days and there is no rain in the forecast, until we get there of course, so I assume it will remain, if it is still in place.

MarshallPrime: "Is the ban still in effect for the BW? We head to Knife in 6 days and there is no rain in the forecast, until we get there of course, so I assume it will remain, if it is still in place.
"

As of the time of this post, there is no fire ban in Superior National Forest. As of this year there has not been a ban but fire danger is high throughout the region and a ban may be eminent.
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