looking at a fall trip to basswood via fall lake, any updates on the Lewis narrow portage 875 that got burned up?

Two things I can verify, and one I can't.

Status: Fall Lake (EP 24) reopened September 8 under the current closure order, and that order runs to October 1, 12:01 pm CT unless it's rescinded early. So a fall window on that side sits inside the open period; just re-check the Superior NF alerts page the day before you drive in.

On the portage: Lewis Narrows isn't on the closed-portage list in the current Exhibit A (version updated Sept 2). Related, the same order keeps a travel limit in that stretch: Moose Lake (EP 25) is open with "no paddle travel beyond Lewis Narrows and Upper Basswood Falls," so the corridor around the narrows is still being treated as fire-affected.

What I can't give you from here is a ground read on the portage itself. The order is explicit that fire-impacted shorelines, portages, and campsites still carry hazard trees that can drop without notice.

If you want a real answer before committing: the Kawishiwi RD office or an Ely outfitter who runs that corridor is your best signal, they hear reports from parties coming out. If you do get a first-hand read, a follow-up here would help the next person planning it.

Ronan