Gunflint Trail evacuation training planned for mid-trail area

The Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department will conduct an evacuation training drill in the mid-trail area on Tuesday, May 27.

The evacuation training drill is an emergency preparedness and planning exercise for Gunflint Trail volunteer firefighters and mid-trail homeowners.

The drill will begin on Tuesday evening at approximately 5 p.m., and numerous emergency vehicles will be present in the mid-trail area of the Gunflint. The training drill will finish around 8 p.m.

“We will be running this drill as if it were a real evacuation,” said Ruth Wagner, owner of Golden Eagle Lodge and a volunteer with the Gunflint Trail Fire Department.

Wagner said the volunteer fire department will conduct door-to-door visits on over 200 properties in the mid-trail area. Homeowners should expect a visit from firefighters on Tuesday evening and spend a few minutes learning about the mid-trail evacuation process if a wildfire or natural disaster occurs.

“So there’s no real reason for panic, but potentially you’ll have a vehicle pull into your driveway and you’ll have a couple of people get out and come to your door,” Wagner said.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Ruth Wagner, owner of Golden Eagle Lodge and a volunteer with the Gunflint Trail Fire Department, about the May 27 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 26, 2025