Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters

When I got to Tuscarora about 9am yesterday, the wind was already picking up. Andy was shuttling crews across Round Lake to the Brant Lake portage. Katie and Mike were delivering food to the Round Lake access point—for the Hot Shot crews going into the woods. The word is that those guys run toward fire….and they’re very good. Here they paddle toward the fire—a new kind of challenge for a few of them!

The day was so gusty—and we worried as we saw big plumes to our north in the afternoon. Jake (our lynch pin staff member) continued to motor supplies all afternoon. We hosed down the houses, then evacuated once again—and headed down the Gunflint Trail.

Andy stayed put and helped with logistics through the night..

All looks good at Tuscarora and Hungry Jack Outfitters today. Also, it looks good on the south shore of Gunflint Lake. Dave reports sky is blue, the smoke has lifted—a beautiful day. It appears to be a perfect day to get some of the campers out of the woods nearby. Jim Holz and Jim Colbert from the Iowa State group are camped near Poplar Lake—I’m sure they’ll come out reluctantly on this clear day—with the east wind blowing the fires/smoke away from them.

It’s funny how a person can’t stay in a state of crisis for days on end—somehow it must be human nature to try to make a new normal. We waiver between evacuation and buisiness as usual—helping the Seatons evacuate—Daves guitars, Nancy’s artwork, Ben and Will’s legos—-sadly considering the possibilities—to a cool calm day when we unload dried food and prepare for the season ahead. I still have high hopes for Tuscarora, with all of the “buffer fires” that occurred in this past week. As of last night the sprinklers were still running, creating a humidity bubble. .

It is cool, the fire has lain low today—which will give that Type I team a chance to attack.

As the evacuation teams keep track of everyone, they’re also keeping track of a wolf that is wondering near Tuscarora—our resident guy. He’s fine too.

On Wednesday, we watched the shoreline of Round Lake (our little jewel) burn from the landing to the Brant Lake portage. Helicopters (like giant mosquitoes) sucked up the water from Round Lake to dump on hotspots.

We scurried around prepping canoes and camping food for crews that plan to go in to Brant Lake this morning at 8am. Katie, our newest staff member arrived to help Mike and Jake, and begin her summer adventure! Worker bees from Grand Marais–Judie Johnson and Lynn Swanson received check point clearance for Fire Business and came to our food packing party. Jane and Sheldon Fewer (my parents) continue to be stabilizing forces.

Dave and Nancy Seaton down on Hungry Jack Lake have stepped up their busy outfitting weekend to help us accommodate for our fishing opener guests. There isn’t any smoke around the mid trail area—and on Saturday the season opens for lake trout and walleye fishing.

Wednesday evening we watched a successful back burn—planes ignited a fire line from Larch Lake toward Magnetic Lake—and the north side of Gunflint Lake. This was an awesomely beautiful sight. We’re hopeful that it burned the fuels on that line—so that when the wind shifts today—out of the north west, hopefully the fire will burn back onto itself and stall on the north side of Gunflint Lake. As I drove down the trail to spend the night with the kids in Grand Marais (they still have school, piano lessons, tennis practice in town…) I saw a moose watching the flames. She stood still—apparently not afraid of the fire, but she spooked when she heard me roll down the window—so I couldn’t get a photo of her.

Shelby and Daniel’s friends and cousins will be glad to know that although the fire burned all the way around the back house, only sparks touched their trampoline.