Evacuation training drill on Gunflint Trail aims to strengthen wildfire readiness

The Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department will conduct an evacuation training drill in the upper Gunflint Trail area on Tuesday, May 26.

The evacuation training drill is an emergency preparedness and planning exercise for Gunflint Trail volunteer firefighters and homeowners. Several other state and federal agencies assist with the annual training.

Firefighters and officials will practice clearing roads and conducting door-to-door visits on over 100 properties in the vicinity of Gunflint Lake. The drill will take place in the general area between Round Lake and Loon Lake.

“We also hand out mock evacuation orders so people can take a look in advance of what kinds of things they might want to be taking with them in the event of an evacuation,” said Ruth Wagner, a volunteer with the Gunflint Trail Fire Department. “For example, medications, how to handle their sprinkler systems, all that sort of stuff.”

The drill will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening, and numerous emergency vehicles will be present in the area. The training drill will finish around 8 p.m.

Homeowners should expect a visit from firefighters who live in the evacuation training zone and should spend a few minutes learning about the evacuation process and safety reminders in the event of a wildfire or natural disaster, Wagner said.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Ruth Wagner, a volunteer with the Gunflint Trail Fire Department and owner of Golden Eagle Lodge, about the May 26 evacuation training drill. The audio from the interview is below.

Learn more about evacuation procedures on the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department website.

Kalli Hawkins May 25, 2026