Airport Pit brush disposal site closed after July 4 fire

A firewise brush pile disposal site in the Airport Pit along Ball Club Road will likely remain closed for the remainder of the summer and fall following a fire that occurred on July 4.

July 4 fire at Airport Pit brush pile disposal site | Photo by Cook County Sheriff’s Office

Authorities and firefighters with the Maple Hill and Grand Marais Fire Departments responded to the fire on July 4. The Airport Pit, located on the north side of Devil’s Track Lake, is a firewise brush pile disposal site for property owners to dump vegetation and brush.

Due to the fire and for public safety, county and Firewise officials said the Airport Pit will remain closed until further notice.

“We are exploring other options for disposal sites until it is safe to reopen the Airport Pit site,” the county said.

The disposal site is being watched from the air and is also being checked by the county’s Firewise Coordinator, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Highway Department, and other partners, the county said.

Several brush disposal sites are available throughout the county, providing residents with places to drop off vegetation, brush, and other wildfire fuels to help reduce wildfire risk.

The nearest other Firewise brush disposal sites are:

• Pike Lake Pit – 156 Cascade Bluffs Road
• Caribou Lake Pit – 1139 Caribou Trail
• East Bearskin Pit – 33 E Bearskin Road

To find the closest site, view the interactive map on the Cook County Firewise website, cookcountyfirewise.org, or link to the map directly: Firewise Brush Disposal Sites Map.

County officials did not state how the fire started. WTIP has requested additional information.