The U.S. Forest Service is conducting the Fenske Prescribed Fire on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9 on the Kawishiwi Ranger District. The Fenske Units 1 and 3 (136 acres) are located 6 miles north of Ely along County Road 116 (Echo Trail). Recent rainfall and cooler weather have created conditions that allow for prescribed fire implementation to occur across the Forest.
The Fenske units were identified to be treated to reduce wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface to protect private property and the Fenske Campground along the Echo Trail (CR 116). The understory fuels consisted of balsam fir, a volatile ladder fuel tree that could carry ground fire into the canopy of the larger trees. The over story consists of mature pine and mixed hardwood. A few years ago, this unit was hand-cut, and some trees were limbed in preparation for future prescribed fire. A heavy concentration of understory and mid-story balsam fir were cut, and the slash has been compressed by winter snows over the last several years.
Conducting a prescribed fire will reduce the amount of slash thereby reducing the amounts of hazardous fuels and to kill the balsam fir seed source in the soil. Regular prescribed fire treatments create a patchwork or mosaic of fire-resistant forest stands in the landscape that can also reduce the intensity of future wildfires. Prescribed fire is one of many management tools that help support the boreal forest ecosystem of the Superior National Forest. Precise ignition methods will be utilized to start the fire, and natural or constructed lines will be used to control and hold the fire. Hose lines supplied by water pumps or other water delivery equipment will supplement the holding actions where needed.
Depending on wind direction, smoke on the Echo Trail and other areas may be heavy at times and smoke could be visible from the Ely area. If driving on the Echo Trail, please slow down for public and firefighter safety. If you are near the fire unit following the prescribed fire please be aware of hazardous conditions like dead and burnt standing trees, they could fall at any time.
Holding crews and ignition crews consisting of firefighters will work directly on the prescribed fire while it is active. Fire crews will continue to monitor the prescribed fire after completion.
Additional information about all the prescribed fires planned on the Forest this year can be found online at inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/.../mnsuf-superior-national...
See Planned Actions under Incident Information for upcoming prescribed fire operations.
Visit the Announcements tab for individual burn information sheets.
Check out the Maps tab for each unit's map.
