Incident: Ham Lake
Released: 5/16/2007
| HAM LAKE FIRE
UPDATE
| Great Basin Incident Management Team 1
May 16, 2007, 6:00 PM, Revised |
Current Status | Close coordination continues between the American operation (managed by Broyles' Type 1 National Incident Management Team, or "IMT") and the Canadian IMT headed by Dave Manol. There was no growth in the fire perimeter on the U.S. side, and direct suppression tactics continue to be effective. Crews are mopping up all hot spots within 100 feet of containment lines, and within 300 feet of all structures. On the northwest flank, crews are patrolling the Saganaga Lake islands. Progress continues toward projected containment, with advancements made on the southeast finger of the fire, as well as the western flank. Four high-priority large fires in Ontario have stretched Canadian resources. In the early stages of the Ham Lake Fire, a large fire east of Thunder Bay threatened the province's main railroad line, the trans-Canada Highway, hydroelectric utilities and the natural gas transmission corridor. Currently, Ontario has an estimated 230 firefighters engaged on the Ham Lake Fire, including three American "Hot Shot" crews (two from Alaska and one from Arizona). Ontario also has a fire ban in place. On the American side, Incident Commander, Paul Broyles expressed appreciation for all of the cooperation and support from the community and partners involved in the fire suppression effort. He noted Arrowhead Rural Electric Association's hard work to restore power to the area. | |
Estimated Acreage/ containment | Acres burned: 75,851 acres. 36,443 acres in the United States; 39,408 acres in Canada. Containment is now estimated at 35% for the entire fire; U.S. estimated at 65%. Projected containment date: May 20, 2007 | |
Resources on the Fire/Costs | Crews: 36 (17 Canadian) Helicopters: 12 (10 Canadian) Engines: 40 Water tenders: 3 Dozers: 5 Available upon Demand: Medium Air Tankers 3 Heavy Air tankers - 2 Personnel: 979 (194 Canadian) Costs: $7,372,568. Figures are current as of 1700 May 16, 2007. | |
Cooperators | Cooperators include Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department, Cook County, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, American Red Cross, Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Weather Service, numerous Volunteer Fire Departments and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. | |
Evacuations and Public Meetings | The road block at Poplar Lake VFD moved west to Cross River on Gunflint Trail at noon today. A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for the Gunflint Trail beyond the Cross River roadblock. Property owners west of the roadblock will be allowed into the evacuation area tomorrow, May 17, from noon to 4:00 p.m. Property owners will need to attend the 10:00 a.m. information meeting at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais, MN for their access pass, further instructions, and safety briefing. Public information meetings will now be held only once a day, in Grand Marais at the Arrowhead Arts Center at 10:00 a.m. The meetings will continue to be broadcast on WTIP 90.7 FM or WTIP.org, the local Grand Marais FM station. | |
Closures and restrictions | As a result of decreased fire activity and successful suppression operations, the areas of Superior NF lands outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are now open to public use except the areas north and west of the Cross River roadblock on the Gunflint Trail. East Bearskin and Flour Lake Campgrounds are open. Reservations are now being accepted by ReserveAmerica for BWCAW trips starting May 20 into many of the BWCAW entry points. The Superior NF anticipates that all BWCAW entry points will be opened by June 14 or earlier, depending on fire conditions. For a complete listing of sites that remain closed refer to http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superior/conditions/hamlake.phpake.php. Access is now open to the Gunflint and Loon Lakes areas. Water access onto Gunflint Lake is prohibited due to aircraft traffic associated with suppression efforts. Fire restrictions are in effect for Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. Under these restrictions the following are prohibited: recreational fires (except gas and propane fired camp stoves and grills), welding, acetylene torches, or other device with open flames. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has also announced that as of noon Friday, cross-country ATV travel will be temporarily prohibited on all state and county lands in Lake, Cook, and St. Louis Counties. As a reminder, cross-country ATV travel has always been and will continue to be prohibited on National Forest lands. | |
Incident plans for tomorrow | Crews will continue securing fire containment lines on islands in Saganaga Lake on the northwest flank of the fire. They will also be reinforcing containment lines north of Francis Lake to Little Gunflint Lake on the east flank of the fire finger. Elsewhere, the primary focus will be structural protection and mop-up. Falling snags continue to be a safety concern on all flanks being worked by fire crews. Canadian crews will continue constructing direct lines above Horseshoe Island and from Southeast Bay of Northern Lights Lake to the road north of Melvin Lake. They will also be constructing containment lines from Little Gunflint Lake to the ridge south of Beulah Lake, and providing structure protection on Red Pine Island. Weather permitting, a burnout is planned for the area north of Burnside Lake. | |
Fire weather | Sunny, warmer, and drier with highs near 70. Relative humidity, 22-27%. Winds out of the southwest at 8-12 mph tomorrow afternoon, with gusts to 18 mph. | |
Fire and Other Information | A Joint Information Center (JIC) is open in Grand Marais, MN at the Court House in the Commissioner's Office (218-387-3401). The Cook County Sheriff has established a homeowner hot line for landowners in the evacuated area. The number is 218-387-3093. Please note the new Ham Lake Fire Information Center number is 801-413-0589. Fire Websites: http://www.inciweb.org/ is the primary location for information on the Ham Lake Fire. Additional fire information can be found at mnics.org. The Canadian fire information number is 888-258-8842. |
