Incident: Ham Lake
Released: 5/17/2007
HAM LAKE FIRE
UPDATE
Great Basin Incident Management Team 1
May 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
Current Status: Close coordination continues between the American suppression 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 yesterday, and direct attack methods remain effective. Crews are mopping up hot spots within 100 feet of containment lines, and within 300 feet of all structures. On the northwest flank, firefighters are patrolling the Saganaga Lake islands. Progress continues toward containment, with firefighters improving the line south of Rush Lake in anticipation of today’s weather forecast.
On the other side of the border, Canada is making additional progress. In the early stages of the Ham Lake Fire, another of four large priority fires (east of Thunder Bay) threatened the province’s main railroad line, the trans-Canada Highway, hydroelectric utilities and the natural gas transmission corridor - stretching Canadian suppression resources. Now, 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), and more Canadian resources are on the way. 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 thanked the Arrowhead Rural Electric Association for their hard work in restoring 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 to Cross River on Gunflint Trail yesterday. A mandatory evacuation 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 today from noon to 4:00 p.m. Property owners need to attend the 10:00 a.m. information meeting at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais, for their access pass, further instructions, and safety briefing. Public information meetings will now be held only once a day, at the Arrowhead Arts Center at 10:00 a.m. Local station WTIP 90.7 FM (or WTIP.org,) will continue to broadcast the meetings.
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 www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superior/conditions/hamlake.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 tomorrow (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 been and will continue to be prohibited on National Forest lands.
Incident plans for today: Crews will continue securing fire 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. Structural protection and mop-up continue to be priorities. Falling snags remain a safety concern on all flanks. Canadian crews are constructing direct lines above Horseshoe Island and from Southeast Bay of Northern Lights Lake to the road north of Melvin Lake, from Little Gunflint Lake to the ridge south of Beulah Lake, and north of Maraboeuf Lake and Burnside Lake. Structural protection and mop-up continues on Red Pine Island.
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. Tomorrow, highs 74-79, southwest winds 12 to 16 mph.
Fire and Other Information: Information from the Cook County Assessor regarding the area from the west end of Poplar Lake to the end of the trail reveals there are 342 parcels with 897 structures, for a total market structural value of $45,808,500. Firefighting efforts saved 759 of those buildings, at $42,100,000 in market value. One hundred thirty-eight structures were lost, at an estimated value of $3.7 million. A Joint Information Center (JIC) is open in Grand Marais, MN at the Court House in the Commissioner’s Office at (218) 387-3401. The Cook County Sheriff has established a homeowner hot line for landowners in the evacuated area; (218) 387-3093. The new Ham Lake Fire Information Center number is (801) 413-0589. Fire Websites: 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.
