5/16/07 – 3:45 P. M. We have received official word that the Sawbill, Baker, Homer, and Brule Lake entry points will be open starting May 20, 2007. No overnight permits for these entry points will be issued for dates before May 20, 2007.
The Ham Lake Fire is officially 55 percent contained in the U. S. today, but the Forest Service is predicting that it will be 100 percent contained in the U.S. by Sunday, May 20, 2007. We got another trace of rain last night and it is very cool with high humidity. The weather forecast is fairly optimistic for regular moisture over the next couple of weeks. We need a ton of rain to really break the drought, but we’ll settle for no forest fires as an alternative! We are all heaving a cautious sigh of relief. – Bill

5/16/07 – As of now, you can reserve permits for Sawbill, Baker, Homer and Brule Lakes for entry on May 20th or later. Go to www.bwcaw.org, or call toll free 1-877-550-6777 to reserve a permit.
That is all we know for now, but we’ll have more specific information in an hour or so. – Bill

5/15/07 – Based on recent developments (rain and cold temperatures), I am guessing that the Sawbill, Baker, Homer and Brule Lake entry points will be re-opening within the next few days. The Forest Service said tonight that they will be announcing the schedule for entry point re-openings soon. As Sawbill was the last and most distant entry point closed due to the fire, we expect that it will be the first to re-open. We will post here the minute we hear something.
I know it has been trying for people to change or even cancel their vacation plans at the last minute. But, I can’t help thinking of all the people who have lost their homes and cabins. It makes me feel very, very lucky to have only suffered some inconvenience. – Bill

5/14/07 – Despite the closure of the Sawbill entry point, work continues around here. Between groups leaving out of the Kawishiwi and Hog Creek entry points, and making sure our sprinkler systems are up and running (just in case), we’re all managing to stay pretty busy. Right now, the Sawbill, Baker, Homer, and Brule entry points remain closed, but we will certainly post any new information here as soon as we get it.
News from the Ham Lake fire has been positive today. Gunflint Lake got one inch of rain last night, and mid-trail, near Poplar Lake, got a half an inch. The controlled burns the Forest Service has been conducting have been working very well, and reports are that the fire is 20 percent contained. However, keep your fingers crossed for the heavy, steady rain that we still desperately need. – Jessa

Bill and Adam worked on installing a pump down at the lake today. The pump connects to a hose that runs into the cistern tank which operates the sprinklers.

Adam, home for a few days after surviving his second year of law school at the University of Minnesota, briefly considers a new career path.

Father and son try out their system. Looks like they’re ready!

5/13/07 – Yesterday was a beautiful, quiet day here at Sawbill. The leaves grew before our eyes, birds were singing, light breeze played through the tree tops, and the sun beamed down on all. The nearby fire is on everyone’s mind, but in a funny way it, pulls people together. As always, the power of wilderness, both good and bad, makes us look at our surroundings, and our lives, with different eyes.
The Ham Lake Fire, now the biggest in Minnesota since 1918, has been relatively quiet for the last two days. In the absence of significant rain, it still holds the potential for growth. The Forest Service is expecting a tougher day today when the winds are predicted to pick up again. The winds have kept all trace of smoke and flame away from us – for now. There is some rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed. Here is the most current map of the fire perimeter. – Bill

5/11/07 – All is quiet at Sawbill this morning. We’ve been getting people who didn’t know about the entry point closures rerouted to alternate entry points and answering many, many phone calls. The fire made an unusual southward run last night, driven by high north winds. Now the winds have switched to the east and it is moving slowly back to the west, headed toward where it began. Sunday is still the best chance for rain, so keep your fingers crossed.
If you need to switch your entry point, or just want to investigate what permits are available for upcoming dates, you can do it online at www.bwcaw.org.. You can also call the permit reservation office toll free at 1-877-550-6777. Or, call us and we will help you.
At this point, we have no idea how long the closed entry points will be closed. It all depends on the weather and the behavior of the fire. As always, we will post information here as soon as we receive it.

The Ham Lake Fire was just a subtle glow in the north last night, but appearances, from this distance, are deceiving. It was raising hell along the Gunflint Trail. Fortunately, no one has been injured and very few, if any, additional structures have burned.

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

5/10/07 – The Ham Lake Fire exploded to the east today running into Canada at least five miles and probably further. The forecast is calling for winds to move from west, to northwest, and finally to north tonight. If that happens and the wind doesn’t slow down, it could potentially push the fire back into the U.S. east of the Gunflint Trail. As a precaution, the Forest Service has closed a bunch of BWCA Wilderness entry points. until further notice. In our area, they closed the Brule Lake and Homer Lake entry points.
It is still very unlikely that this fire will burn down to Sawbill, but we are watching it carefully and will post any relevant information here. – Bill

5/9/07 – We have been getting quite a few calls and emails about the status of the fire at the end of the Gunflint Trail. It is highly unlikely that the fire will impact any of the routes in the Sawbill area. If there is any change, or if any new fires start, we’ll post the news here immediately. – Bill

Kari and Homer watch the plume from the Ham Lake Fire from the canoe landing on Sawbill Lake yesterday evening. The fire cloud gives the illusion of being quite close, but is actually more than 20 miles away. Once your mind adjusts to the actual distance, you realize how big the cloud is.

5/7/07 – It is terrribly dry here right now and there is a complete burning ban in place. This ban applies to all of Cook and Lake Counties and includes all recreational fires including charcol grills. Simply put, no fires at all in northeastern Minnesota until further notice.
There is a large, destructive fire burning currently at the end of the Gunflint Trail. The fire is not threatening us, or the vast majority of the BWCA Wilderness, at all. However, it is threatening many homes and businesses at the end of the Gunflint Trail. Our thoughts are with our friends up there and hoping for the best possible outcome. You can find good, up to date information on the Ham Lake Fire, as it has been named, at www.inciweb.org. Or, for the local angle, try the website of our excellent community radio station, WTIP.
Time flies for us during this time of year. Every day is a blur of work as we bring each part of our facility on line, process a flood of incoming stock, clean, organize, and welcome the early visitors. All of this with a very small (and hardworking) crew. Two new crew members are experiencing the seasonal start up with us this year. – Bill

Caitlin Coomes, hails from the Stillwater, Minnesota area, and is a graduate of Carleton College. Caitlin’s aunt, Ellen Lock, was a crew member 1990 – 93.

Pat Hughes hails from Portland, Oregon and is a graduate of University of Redlands in California.