Please pray for rain.
(The worlds largest mosquito sucks water from Round Lake)
Aren’t we lucky?
Our neighbors, our competitiors—Hungry Jack Outfitters, Gunflint Lodge, Voaygeur Outfitters, Seagull Outfitters, Gunflint Pines, Loon Lake Lodge, East Bay Suites—these folks go out of their way to make sure that Tuscarora survives.
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The volunteer fire departments—-(the slogan “support your local volunteer fire department” takes on a whole new meaning) are also our neighbors, coaches, community members. They have walked through fire for us here. (note that this picture was taken on Sunday night at the end of the Gunflint Trail) -
Our guests and staff members— all Gunflint Trail guests—aren’t just looking for a good time, but have found a home in the BWCA and Quetico. They’re loyal stewards as well. -
We are even grateful for fires in the Wilderness. They refresh, they cleanse. We see what new growth a fire in July can incite by September.
We’ve been through the Cavity Lake Fire footprint. We now realize that an outline on paper doesn’t mean that the area is black. (Ashy pictures are newsy and compelling, but the actual experience is that of a mosaic).
- Most campsites are still lovely, views still stunning.
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Fires don’t burn lakes. Still, there are calm waters, big skies, ecosystems always changing.
We are blessed with incredible community support for our family far and near–nothing like a crisis to drive that home!
On it burns…
I made it into Grand Marais to watch the kids’ talent show —because we were still evacuated from Tuscarora. We’ll stay in town tonight-too smokey for the kids up there. The world goes on as if all is normal. When I saw (USFS) Tom Kaffeine (I had seen him at the check point an hour before) I rushed over to talk to him….someone who was familiar with the “front lines”—someone who knew.
It was a firey, smokey afternoon up the Gunflint Trail. Andy managed to get a sheriff escort back in to Tuscarora, where he is now keeping the sprinklers running while watching the shore of Round Lake (by the access road) burn. He is also hosting 3 crews (60 fire fighters) in the bunkhouses. I’m glad that he is not alone.
It is a calm evening, the humidity is up. At least the fire should lie down for the night. We continue to hope for rain….and brace ourselves for another hot dry day forecasted for tomorrow.
Regardless of our predictions—the fire will do what it will.
About an hour ago I was comfortably writing a blog from our cocoon of Tuscarora, thinking that the fire was “contained” in our area–as we had heard at the 11am public meeting.
The hot (80 degrees) dry wind has shifted from south west to west–enough to stir something up. My dad came in and said—“Flare up beyond the point!!” we scrambled to start up the sprinklers. The hot dry sun took the eerie orange glow as large flames loomed from the west–on the ridge beyond the access road. The sheriff drove in to evacuate us.
Andy is still at the check point–where we heard from the air support on the radio “Tuscarora does not appear to be in immediate danger–this fire will burn into the black. We’ll need to watch for a change in the wind.”
The sprinklers will run as the rest of us are based at Gunflint Pines until the fire decides to let us back in.
I also heard, unofficially from Seagull landowners at the checkpoint, that Fishook Island is burning hotly today. I’m not hopeful for Wilderness Canoe Base, the special place where Andy and I met. We grieve with the entire Wilderness community today.
We also continue to be thankful that no lives have been lost to the Ham Lake Fire.
Monday–a better day
Less eventful day—and keep in mind that the information that I provide was current this morning–and it is just what I know. Check boreal.org for current information as well.
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32+ structures burned on the end of the Gunflint Trail last night. Many of them were homes near the end of the trail.
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Seagull Outfitters, Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, and Way of the Wilderness Outfitters did not burn.
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Seagull Fish Camp did not burn.
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The Sag Store did not burn.
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Our friend and tow boat operator/trainer Jerry Carpenter did not lose his cabin.
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Wilderness Canoe Base was hit harder than we originally believed. Many of the structures are gone.
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Ken Peterson did not lose his cabin.
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300 plus firefighters are coming in to the area tonite–a Type I team. Hopefully the wind will stay down and they’ll be able to start to contain some of the borders of the fire.
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Tuscarora is still fine, but guests are not allowed past the road block yet. We’re not sure when that will lift, but we are hopeful and are preparing for the season ahead.
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Shelby, Daniel, Ben and Will lost their fort back in the woods. They’ve worked on it all spring, and are sure that it should be counted among the structures lost to the fire.
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Thank you for all of your messages of support. They mean a lot to all of us.
