9/13/11 3:45 pm – The Pagami Lake fire is now over 60,000 acres. Therefore, all entry points in the BWCAW south of Moose Lake and east to the Gunflint Trail have been closed with these exceptions: Brule Lake (only), Seagull Lake (only), Saganaga (only), Granite river, and the Vento unit. For the entry points that remain open, campers must remain on those lakes, with no overnight camping elsewhere. Area campgrounds have been closed and evacuated as well. Campers already in the BWCAW are being notified and told to exit. For now, the Tofte and Gunflint districts are still fire-free. The closures and evacuations in these areas are purely precautionary. Public safety is the Forest Service’s main concern. In order to concentrate on the fire itself, they need to limit public access to the wilderness.
Here at Sawbill we have spent the day preparing for whatever may come. Our sprinkler system is doing its job, and even received a bit of a water power upgrade today when the original installer, Michael Valentini, showed up. Currently we even have blue, smoke free skies. We have been overwhelmed all day by the outpouring of support from our customers and the community. Thanks to everyone (you know who you are) who has offered us lodging, food, transportation, storage, moral support and more. We are truly touched.