Click to View the Full Thread

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Quetico Forum :: Fire Ban on
 
Author Message Text
sns
05/15/2025 10:20PM
 
I called the Park HQ back this afternoon. Confirmed; goes in effect tonight.


I am going in for two weeks; they said it is unlikely to be lifted during my trip...we'll see.


Interestingly, Cache and Prairie are apparently not yet manned, and they told me to print my confirmation letter as my permit.


I would think they will be manned very soon.



 
SummerSkin
05/15/2025 09:59PM
 
sns: "Just got a message from Atikokan - Ban is on starting tonight."


Are you sure? There’s no alert for Quetico here: Ontario park alerts, and they’ve not posted anything about it on the official FB page. Usually they’re quick to announce. Or did you get inside info before it’s to be announced?
 
rick00001967
05/19/2025 10:15AM
 
i went in monday and it was 30c for 3 days. i came out saturday. the bush here is extremely dry. we did get some rain and temps have dropped substantially. but the ban is in place.
i am curious for those of you that carry sat comm devices.....is there a way to sign up with ontario parks for alert changes while in the back country?
i pair a zoleo with a cell phone and would be able to receive a text message for this. or do you perhaps have someone at home that monitors this for you and will notify you if there is a change?

 
SummerSkin
05/16/2025 06:18AM
 
Yep, the alert is up now. Thanks for the heads-up.
 
mapsguy1955
05/16/2025 11:28AM
 
The forecast after tomorrow is dry. I hope the ban doesn’t last into September, but even more, I hope there aren’t any fires.
 
Pinetree
05/16/2025 11:28AM
 
Quetico Provincial Park
19h ·
Please travel safely this weekend in NWO and be sure not to interfere with any fire suppression efforts. Refer to the Ontario.ca/fireupdates website for updates and road closures. Open fires will be prohibited in the Park throughout the weekend.

 
unshavenman
06/16/2025 11:07AM
 
The Quetico fire ban has just been lifted.
 
sns
05/15/2025 03:07PM
 
Just got a message from Atikokan - Ban is on starting tonight.
 
AKSTIGMO
05/15/2025 04:12PM
 
Oh shoot, heading in for my first time next week! More fuel it is I suppose.
 
SummerSkin
05/15/2025 10:08PM
 
Also looks like a huge mass of moisture just moved through the entire park, and cooler air is on the way. I know one round of rain showers doesn’t end a fire ban, but it should help
 
sns
06/03/2025 01:08PM
 
OMGitsKa: "We were in last week, honestly no fires really wasn't that big of a deal. In the moment it didn't make much of a difference. Probably just went to bed earlier! Smoke starting coming in good on Thursday...


"



I missed having a fire when it was near or below freezing in the first few days but by day 14 it was of little consequence other than the amount of stove fuel required. And yes, a couple days of pretty heavy smoke.
 
AdamXChicago
05/19/2025 05:39PM
 
I bring a weather radio. Most places, it works fine although a couple of dead zones have been noted (especially in north central part of Q). Go figure…
 
mmalec
06/03/2025 10:48AM
 
I'll be in the northern part of Quetico in just over 2 weeks. Judging by the relative lack of rain in the forecast, and the raging wildfires to the West, I expect the fire ban to still be active when we arrive. However, now I am becoming concerned with air quality as well. I am located in Chicago and the wildfire haze has been visible several of the last few days here, accompanied by air quality alerts.


I am just curious to see if anybody more local has any inside knowledge or insight as to the the air quality or predictions on length of the fire ban? Is the threat of poor air quality something that we should prepare for in advance of our trip? If so, how? If we get lucky with a few days of rain over the next couple weeks, might that be enough to quell the fire ban?


Our trip is scheduled for June 18-23 and funny enough, my weather forecaster predicts it to rain 4 straight days while we are there. Timing has never been my specialty.
 
Pinetree
05/15/2025 05:29PM
 
I am surprised the BWCA doesn't have a fire ban.There is no personnel left to fight another fire.
 
rick00001967
06/03/2025 11:14AM
 
i see only a couple of possible days with any amount of rain in the next 2 week. that could change but i would plan for the ban to still be in place.


i live about 2 hrs east of the eastern quetico park boundary and we have significant smoke in the air today. but this is the first i have really noticed.


obviously it will depend on the winds if it gets worse here or not. and the same goes for wherever you will be in the park.


i have some lung issues so for me, i would need to be careful on a decision to go or not if i was worried about the smoke in the park.


during the big park fires a few years back, i def cancelled any plans when things were really bad.

 
Pinetree
05/16/2025 06:26AM
 
sns: "I called the Park HQ back this afternoon. Confirmed; goes in effect tonight.

I am going in for two weeks; they said it is unlikely to be lifted during my trip...we'll see.

Interestingly, Cache and Prairie are apparently not yet manned, and they told me to print my confirmation letter as my permit.

I would think they will be manned very soon."

In the past, sometimes they had staff about one week after our fishing opener. I think it might coincide with some of their fish openers?
 
OMGitsKa
06/03/2025 12:09PM
 
We were in last week, honestly no fires really wasn't that big of a deal. In the moment it didn't make much of a difference. Probably just went to bed earlier! Smoke starting coming in good on Thursday...



 
Explor8ion
05/20/2025 08:53AM
 
rick00001967: "i went in monday and it was 30c for 3 days. i came out saturday. the bush here is extremely dry. we did get some rain and temps have dropped substantially. but the ban is in place.
i am curious for this of you that carry sat comm devices.....is there a way to sign up with ontario parks for alert changes while in the back country?
i pair a zoleo with a cell phone and would be able to receive a text message for this. or do you perhaps have someone at home that monitors this for you and will notify you if there is a change?
"



I give my kids a note with links to the alerts page from the park and another to the weather forecast for the park. I can text via satellite on my iPhone and plan to text every few days for updates. I also use the BoltWX.com service for daily weather forecasts from the iPhone. Not as "disconnected" as 20 years ago, but it makes for a safer trip especially in dry conditions. I also have a satellite rescue device (in addition to the iPhone SOS option) that we can use in an emergency or if I lose my phone.
 
Rowthatboat
05/16/2025 11:54PM
 
AKSTIGMO: "Oh shoot, heading in for my first time next week! More fuel it is I suppose. "


What portage and route are you taking?
 
sns
05/17/2025 06:21AM
 
We are taking 6x the fuel we used last year. Decided to buy different stoves - we've never had to cook all our meals on stoves. Will be different.
 
AKSTIGMO
05/17/2025 08:47AM
 
Rowthatboat: "AKSTIGMO: "Oh shoot, heading in for my first time next week! More fuel it is I suppose. "



What portage and route are you taking? "



Heading in at Bottle River and making our way to Brent! Can't wait to explore. Was hoping the ban would hold off until after all this precipitation this weekend. In Ely we had a good amount of rain the last two days...
 
rick00001967
06/21/2025 08:12AM
 
unshavenman: "The Quetico fire ban has just been lifted. "
Funny enough, I went in for a long weekend on Pickerel Lake on the 13th. i think it was lifted the day after I went in. Although the area where I was staying was as dry as it could get.

Weather was absolutely amazing that weekend. Light winds. warm days. not too hot. cool nights. and where i was camped there were ZERO bugs. no smoke.

Rare for me to get that combination all in one short trip. Now if only I could find some fish.
 
cburton103
05/17/2025 01:19PM
 
AKSTIGMO: "Rowthatboat: "AKSTIGMO: "Oh shoot, heading in for my first time next week! More fuel it is I suppose. "




What portage and route are you taking? "




Heading in at Bottle River and making our way to Brent! Can't wait to explore. Was hoping the ban would hold off until after all this precipitation this weekend. In Ely we had a good amount of rain the last two days..."



Brent is a solid lake with some great campsites and lots of nooks and crannies to explore, as well as plenty of day trip options and great lakes on the way there from basically any direction. I hope you have a blast! We'll be on Brent a couple weeks from now for our third time. Post a quick report after you get out if you can, especially if you fish!