Some Boundary Waters entry points to reopen on Monday

Portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will reopen for day use starting Monday, after wildfires prompted a rare closure of the forest last week.

The U.S. Forest Service says the reopening impacts select entry points of the Gunflint and Tofte districts on the eastern side of the forest. Overnight permits, on the other hand, will be canceled through Wednesday.

Officials say they're consistently reevaluating the closures, and anticipate reopening select areas for overnight use next weekend. However, that could change as the wildfires — which have ravaged 72,000 acres of the forest — have yet to be contained. Forest service officials say the wildfires could smolder until the snow falls. 

In recent days, crews have made progress in containing smaller fires west of Echo Lake and east of U.S. Highway 53. Evacuation alerts in St. Louis County west of Echo Trail and Crane Lake have been completely lifted.

Officials say winds from the south could bring warmer temperatures to the area over the weekend. That combination of winds and hot, dry air could elevate fire weather conditions. 

The Bear Trap fire, which covers 37,780 acres is 34% contained, and the Thumb fire, which is 17,164 total acres, is 58% contained as of Wednesday. Both of the fires reach into Canada.

Note: The above video first aired on July 21, 2026.