Forest Service daily monitoring prescribed burn near Greenwood Lake, and Airport Pit fire
The Forest Service continues to monitor the prescribed burn near Greenwood Lake and the smoldering fire at the Airport Pit brush-pile disposal site amid ongoing dry conditions and red-flag warnings.
Over the weekend, a 775-acre prescribed burn unit completed by the U.S. Forest Service in late May flared up, producing considerable visible smoke near Greenwood Lake.
As of Tuesday morning, the prescribed burn remains within its planned perimeter and footprint, Gunflint District Ranger Kyle Stover said during a wildfire update at the July 14 Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting.
“It’s burning through the unburned mosaic pattern of that burn, especially along the shores of Greenwood Lake, putting up a lot of smoke,” Stover said. “So there’s been a lot of active heat, especially in the last couple of days with the fire weather that we’ve had.”
Visible smoke on Sunday from prescribed burn near Greenwood Lake | Photo by Kalli Hawkins
Helicopters have conducted water bucket drops to cool hot spots along the perimeter lines. The Forest Service has also implemented a sprinkler system along the western boundary of the fire line, adjacent to private property, and is actively working with property owners. “And that was successful,” Stover said.
Stover said, “We are there daily with engines and watercraft, and having it checked by aerial detection that we have regularly every day at this point.”
Visible smoke is present in the immediate vicinity and, depending on wind currents, may be visible from areas farther away, such as Devilfish Lake Campground and Esther Lake Campground up the Arrowhead Trail.
Cook County officials and the Forest Service are continuing to monitor a fire in the Airport Pit Firewise brush pile along Ball Club Road. The fire started on July 4 and was determined to be human-caused, but the method is undetermined, Stover said.
“It is still smoldering,” Stover said. Although it is still smoldering, the Forest Service reports 95% containment of the fire.
Due to the fire and for public safety, the county and Firewise officials closed the Airport Pit. It will remain closed until further notice, county officials said.
Despite the closure and posted signage, Stover said that “People have been going and continuing past the barricades to put brush in the burn area.”
The Forest Service and county officials will visit the site daily to monitor conditions. On Monday, the Maple Hill Fire Department assisted with putting water on the brush pile.
Stover said the Airport Pit brush pile will likely continue to smoke until fall.
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.
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.
Kalli Hawkins July 14, 2026
