Prescribed burns will continue across Superior National Forest as government avoids shutdown

Controlled burns, also known as prescribed burns, will continue across Superior National Forest this week following the news that a federal government shutdown will not occur.

Congress reached a deal late Saturday night to avoid a government shutdown. Had a deal not been reached, non-emergency tasks and operations such as prescribed burns would have halted across all federal lands, including Superior National Forest.

With a shutdown averted, this week the Forest Service said in a statement sent to WTIP Oct. 1 that the Superior National Forest east zone fire crews will be conducting pile burns throughout the Gunflint and Tofte Ranger Districts this week.

Planned units on Gunflint Ranger District include timber sale slash piles, and fuels reduction project piles. Crews will be burning timber sale piles near the Gunflint Trail by George Washington Pines, near County Road 6 and its intersection with the Superior Hiking Trail, and another pile near County Road 60.

In the Mid Gunflint Trail area, crews will continue burning fuels reduction project piles around Okontoe church camp, Washout Road, Squint lake, and Hungry Jack Lake.

On the west end of the county near the Tofte Ranger Station, crews will be burning timber sale piles off the Sawbill Trail and Forest Service Road 342. Crews will also be burning fuels reduction piles near Perent Lake Road and just north of the Little Isabella River Campground.

Joe Friedrichs October 2, 2023