Transcripts

BOB KELLEHER: The high fire-risk area includes much of the eastern half of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the woods around the Gunflint Trail, North of Grand Marais. That's where millions of trees were flattened by a July 4 storm, packing 90-mile per hour winds. The US Forest Service began an emergency operation this fall to clean up 3,000 acres of downed timber. But those efforts were hindered by uncooperative weather.

Autumn rains prevented the controlled burning of 500 wooded acres, while warm weather delayed logging in wetlands, which need to freeze to support logging equipment. Superior National Forest deputy supervisor Tom Wagner says only about half the earmarked acres are actually getting logged, with the rest to be dealt with in the coming year. But he says the work that's been done will make a difference, should fire break out.

TOM WAGNER: We keyed these first round of actions specifically to areas that were high risk and near buildings. And so we think they will make a difference, should and when we get some kind of fire situation this summer or in the next 5 to 10 years.

BOB KELLEHER: Plans are being drawn to set controlled fires within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which will require a modification of current management rules. The Forest Service hopes to build fire breaks in the wilderness that would slow the progress of fire. Meanwhile, Cook County officials are preparing for fire through elaborate sprinkler systems to blanket remote property with a protective curtain of water.

The County is buying a portable system called the water tower, which firefighters can use to rain water down on a home or resort. Assistant Gunflint Fire District Chief George Carlson says the water tower can be placed well ahead of a fire to dampen dry property. It may be the only defense left, once dead and drying wood has been removed.

GEORGE CARLSON: This is one of two proactive things that our fire department and our community can do to mitigate the wildfire threat to our community.

BOB KELLEHER: Property owners are also being encouraged to help themselves. Carlson is preparing a federal grant application to help residents pay for relatively inexpensive permanent property sprinkler systems. A typical system costs several hundred dollars for PVC piping, connecting hose, and showerheads. When connected to a fire pumper truck, it can keep more than an acre moist, or it can provide property a protective shower in a fire emergency. He says the technology has been used with success in Canada for the last couple of decades.

GEORGE CARLSON: They designed a sprinkler system to be used in remote wilderness areas where wildfire is always a continual threat in fire season. It saved over $2 billion worth of property in Canada.

BOB KELLEHER: There might be some urgency in getting sprinklers in place. In an area that's often under several feet of snow in a normal winter, there's only a few inches this year. Carlson says a dry winter will have a great impact on the fire danger this spring.

GEORGE CARLSON: We all hope we're going to have enough moisture so we don't have to worry about it. But the conditions are right for us to have a major, catastrophic wildfire.

BOB KELLEHER: Cook County commissioners are hoping to pay for sprinklers, with a share of almost $2 million available to Minnesota through the federal government. However, there might be competition for the money from Cook County property owners hoping to get reimbursed for the cost of cleaning up trees felled during the summer storm. In Duluth, I'm Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio.