Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Hassel Lake Fire
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smoke |
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Jaywalker |
Yesterday afternoon, aircraft continued to make water drops on the fire to slow fire spread. Two sides of the fire had become more active, but the water drops were successful in reducing fire activity. The fire was estimated to be 3 acres in size in the evening. A crew of firefighters were flown into Boulder Lake to start looking for potential access routes to the fire area. A flight over the fire area this morning reported low fire activity of smoldering and creeping fire on the ground. Planned Actions: The firefighters on Boulder Lake have made sure that they have safety zones and escape routes in place and then scouted a route to the fire’s edge. Additional firefighters will be used to assist with taking suppression action directly on the fire’s edge with pumps and water hoses. One FireBoss airplane and one Helicopter continue to be assigned to the fire and will be used for aerial water drops as needed. The safety of firefighters is the highest priority as fire suppression actions on the ground are taken. Resources: The Superior National Forest has additional crews and engines available to assist. Currently the 20-person Wyoming Hotshot Crew and Wildland Engines with firefighters from other forests are temporarily stationed on the Forest to provide support for wildfire response. Closures: BWCAW Entry Point #4 Crab Lake remains open. A Forest Closure of lakes, campsites, and portages within the BWCAW west of Crab Lake is in place to ensure public and firefighter safety. This Closure Area includes Clark Lake, Saca Lake, Meat Lake, Phantom Lake, Boulder Lake, Battle Lake, Hassel Lake, Lunetta Lake, Schlamn Lake and all the associated portages and campsites in this area. The closure includes the creek between Lunetta Lake and Little Crab Lak : Hassel Fire on the La Croix District of the Superior National Forest by USDA Forest Service. |
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airmorse |
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adam |
Current Status : Hassel fire on La Croix Ranger District is estimated to be 3 acres. The weather forecast for today includes near critical fire weather conditions. Yesterday, firefighters continued to scout an access route from Boulder Lake to the fire area and planned logistical support for fire suppression on the ground. Fire activity was low most of the day with smoldering and creeping fire on the ground. Portions of the fire became active in the evening so a FireBoss airplane and helicopter made several water drops to reduce fire activity. Planned Actions : Fire crews will continue to work on the access route to the fire from Boulder Lake and additional firefighters will work their way in to the fire and start to set up a pump and hose line to deliver water to the fire’s edge. If it is safe to do so firefighters will work directly on the fire’s edge to suppress any flames and cool areas of heat. One FireBoss airplane and one Helicopter continue to be assigned to the fire and will be used for aerial water drops as needed. Closures remain the same: BWCAW Entry Point #4 Crab Lake remains open. A Forest Closure of lakes, campsites, and portages within the BWCAW west of Crab Lake is in place to ensure public and firefighter safety. This Closure Area includes Clark Lake, Saca Lake, Meat Lake, Phantom Lake, Boulder Lake, Battle Lake, Hassel Lake, Lunetta Lake, Schlamn Lake and all the associated portages and campsites in this area. The closure includes the creek between Lunetta Lake and Little Crab Lake. |
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smoke |
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Springer2 |
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4keys |
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gravelroad |
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marsonite |
4keys: "What is a TFR? temporary flight restrictions |
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marsonite |
smoke: "Why are they not using the helicopter to transport fire fighters and equipment to the fire?" They will use a helicopter to transport gear using a sling. But there is no place to land to drop off fire fighters. It's thick out there. I know out west they rappel off of helicopters but that technology/training probably isn't available in the midwest. The USFS takes safety measures to the extreme these days. You have this little fire of just a few acres, mostly smoldering on the ground, and they have to set up all these safety protocols as if it was burning in a box canyon in Eastern washington. Well, I guess you can't be too careful. Firefighters have been trapped and died before. I used to be a smoke chaser with the MNDNR and we would have just hiked into that fire, had a helicopter sling in pumps and hoses etc and pumped water on the thing until it was out. Back in the old days, ha ha! |
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tumblehome |
marsonite: "smoke: "Why are they not using the helicopter to transport fire fighters and equipment to the fire?" Six firefighters were caught in the Pagami Creek fire and survived because of their potatos. That fire smoldered away for a week and when it took off, it raced 20 miles in one day 19 firefighter were killed in The Yarnell, AZ fire in 2013 Woodland firefighters should be afforded the same safety precautions as other hazardous job workers |
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BWCA |
The 21-acre Hassel Fire is now 100% contained! Containment is defined as having achieved a line around the perimeter of the fire to keep it from spreading. Fire crews will continue to monitor the fire area today & begin hauling supplies out. |
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Jaywalker |
admin: "HASSEL FIRE Fire UPDATE (June 11, 2021)Excellent news. Glad the strong winds earlier this week didn’t kick things up. And now hoping for a long, steady rain sooner rather than later. |
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napinch |
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Jaywalker |
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adam |
This afternoon, a wildfire was detected SW of Hassel Lake in the BWCAW - west of Burntside Lake & approx. 10 miles northeast of Tower, MN. The fire is estimated at 2 acres & believed to be caused by a lightning strike. Current Status: Fire managers flew over the fire at midday and reported low fire activity of smoldering and creeping fire on the ground. The size is still estimated to be at around 2 to 2 1?2 acres in size as of 12 noon today. Closures: Due to the remote nature of this fire and the location of several small Wilderness lakes that visitors use in the area, a Forest Closure Order has been put in place today. This is a preventative measure for public safety due to the amount of time it takes to close the area. BWCAW Entry Point #4 Crab Lake remains open. An area closure of lakes, campsites, and portages within the BWCAW west of Crab Lake became effective at 12:01pm today for public and firefighter safety. This Closure Area includes Clark Lake, Saca Lake, Meat Lake, Phantom Lake, Boulder Lake, Battle Lake, Hassel Lake, Lunetta Lake, Schlamn Lake and all the associated portages and campsites in this area. This closure includes the creek between Lunetta Lake and Little Crab Lake. Very dry and hot air in Minnesota with record-breaking heat. Hassel Lake Location |
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Marley |
Strong SW winds are predicted for today also. Hopefully, this doesn’t get the fire kicked up. The majority of the campsites that aren’t closed are directly down wind of the fire on Cummings. |
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OneMatch |
Has there been much rain in the BW at all lately? |
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Zulu |
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tumblehome |
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schweady |
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tumblehome |
Thanks for the link. I just booked a permit for a different day and different entry. I was going into Crab lake next week. Am planning to head west into Trout then into the Little Indian Souix River back to Cummings. If this fire turns into anything, all of these lakes are under threat of fire and at the very least, closure. I’m am not a big fan of fire suppression in the BWCA since this practice has made fires worse with the proliferation of fuels in the forest. On the other hand, it’s tough to watch all that forest burn up. But let me say that new young forests thrive in amazing ways after fire and create fire breaks to lesson the severity of future fires. Tom |
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gsfisher13 |
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marsonite |
tumblehome: "Oh boy. I am planning to go through that lake in a week. I'm thinking this fire is gonna really get going. Might make the front page It hasn't really grown yet. So that's the good news. The bad news is the FS is closing the lakes west of Crab. I'd make alternate plans. Hassel Lake fire update |
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HighnDry |
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adam |
Current Status : Fire managers flew over the fire at midday and reported low fire activity of smoldering and creeping fire on the ground. The size is still estimated to be at around 2 to 2 1?2 acres in size as of 12 noon today. Closures: Due to the remote nature of this fire and the location of several small Wilderness lakes that visitors use in the area, a Forest Closure Order has been put in place today. This is a preventative measure for public safety due to the amount of time it takes to close the area. BWCAW Entry Point #4 Crab Lake remains open. An area closure of lakes, campsites, and portages within the BWCAW west of Crab Lake became effective at 12:01pm today for public and firefighter safety. This Closure Area includes Clark Lake, Saca Lake, Meat Lake, Phantom Lake, Boulder Lake, Battle Lake, Hassel Lake, Lunetta Lake, Schlamn Lake and all the associated portages and campsites in this area. This closure includes the creek between Lunetta Lake and Little Crab Lake. |
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yogi59weedr |
I'll deal with the bugs later. |
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Pinetree |
tumblehome: "marsonite: "smoke: "Why are they not using the helicopter to transport fire fighters and equipment to the fire?" Have a friend who quit firefighting after being down in 2013 in those terrible Arizona fires. His dad also wanted him to quit. He was in a long line of firefighters in that family. There are years and times of years to let fires go. Not this year with predicted long hot spells and dry. |
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LindenTree |
napinch: "I spent last week at the northern section of Trout and I presume that these were some of the planes doing water drops on Hassel. They did multiple (8-10) rounds a couple days but only late afternoon. The two smaller ones are called Fire Bosses, they are 802 turbine engine crop dusters fitted with pontoons, they carry around 800 gallons of water. The single larger plane is either an CL 215 or 415 I can't tell in the pic. They are essentially the same plane but the 415 has a turbine engine. They are built in Canada by Bombardier, and carry around 1,400 gallons of water. MN-DNR used to own two CL 215's but sold them a few years ago and now contract 802 Fire Bosses as their replacement. |
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napinch |
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gravelroad |
OneMatch: "Saw this on Facebook as well. Thanks for posting. I'm surprised a fire ban hasn't been put into place. This is reminding me very much like the Ham Lake fire conditions. Precipitation reports in the 48 hours preceding 11:10 a.m., CDT, June 5: |
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gsfisher13 |
Current Status: Yesterday, early morning rain and higher humidity levels kept fire activity low. The fire is now estimated to be 21 acres due to some more active fire days and more accurate mapping by firefighters on the ground on Tuesday, June 8. Closures ? remain the same The Minnesota Incident Command System Type 3 Team B was ordered and took command of the fire at 6:00 am on June 9, 2021. Team B brings additional safety, operational, logistical, and planning support to ensure that the fire crews in the Wilderness can focus on fire suppression. Fire crews were able to approach the fire’s edge and started to assess the conditions and strategies needed to work on direct suppression of the fire. Additional crews were brought into the fire area to set up pumps and water hose lines. Safely accessing this fire on the ground for direct suppression and supporting those efforts has taken time to establish. Firefighters need to have two reliable methods to leave the fire area if an injury occurs or fire activity increases and compromises firefighter safety. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): There is currently a TFR in place for air space over the Hassel Lake Fire (FDC 1/9059) due to fire aviation operations. Remember that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones. If you fly, we can’t! Cooperating Agencies: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Louis County Office of Emergency Management & U.S. Forest Service. ??: A more active Hassel Fire pictured on June 7, 2021 by USDA Forest Service. |
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cowdoc |
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Pinetree |
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tumblehome |
Just north of Ely right smack in the BWCA. I think that area has received quite a bit or rain the past few days with many rounds of storms. It would be nice to hear from some folks returning what their observations are. Duluth is getting a bit crunchy. Tom |
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Pinetree |
tumblehome: "9pm radar shows intense but narrow bands of magenta. That’s heavy Schit.most of this rain is west and north of ELY. The BWCA rain has varied. Even with rain the last few days, Kawishiwi river is lower today than last week. This rain helped for a short period only. |