Fire danger remains elevated after a dry May in Cook County

Many North Shore residents have been particularly aware of fire danger over the past few weeks. Recent wildfires burned over 30,000 acres in St. Louis County and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and wildfires in Canada have caused air quality alerts for Northern Minnesota.

The fire danger risk in the Arrowhead is considered “Very High” based on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources assessment. At this time, in part due to the air quality alert issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the MN DNR has prohibited open burning throughout most of the state, however, they have not issued a campfire ban.

Across Minnesota permits are required for burning, though the MN DNR fire risk map issued on May 30 shows the southern half of the state as “low” fire risk. All of Northern Minnesota is considered “high” risk at this time, with Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Carlton, Itasca, and Koochiching Counties determined to be “very high.”

The National Weather Service predicts that the next likely widespread precipitation could happen on Tuesday, June 3rd. The warm and dry weekend forecast, in combination with only sporadic rain over the past several weeks, mean the fire risk is unlikely to be downgraded until the rain predicted for mid-week.

As May comes to a close, the total precipitation measured at weather stations around the county show a distinctly drier month than May of 2024, according to the MN DNR. They maintain maps based on data compiled by the National Weather Service’s volunteer Cooperative Observer Network.

The total precipitation in May has typically fluctuated widely when comparing the totals over the years. The 2025 total is 1.51 inches in Grand Marais, 0.96 inches on Gunflint Lake and 0.32 inches in Grand Portage. May of 2024 was particularly wet, with reports of 4.61 inches in Grand Marais, 4.60 inches on Gunflint Lake, and 3.45 inches in Grand Portage.

While the May totals each year are variable, this past month’s totals fall short of the average precipitation in May from the past 10 years.

10 Year averages:

• Grand Marais, 2.5 inches
• Gunflint Lake, 2.2 inches
• Grand Portage, 3 inches

  

  Precipitation totals, Grand Marais

  

  Precipitation totals, Grand Portage

  

  Precipitation totals, Gunflint Lake

Smoke is expected to continue to impact the area for several days. However, conditions may change as June begins, with a chance of rain in the forecast multiple time in the coming week.

Kirsten Wisniewski June 1, 2025