5/10/07 – 10 P. M. We’ve just been notified by the Forest Service that the Sawbill Lake and Baker Lake entry points to the BWCA Wilderness have been closed until further notice. This includes both overnight and day-use. They do not expect the Ham Lake Fire to threaten Sawbill directly, but the fire has reached a size that has triggered the decision to clear everyone out of the eastern end of the wilderness.
Late reports from the firefighting team indicate that the fire more than doubled, perhaps as much as quadrupled today. Most of that growth was in Canada, but with a fire this size, behavior is unpredictable, so the Forest Service is trying to err on the side of caution.
Call or email if you have questions. – Bill