Officials continue to monitor several small fires burning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, as well as a 500-acre blaze burning just across the Canadian border.
The U.S. Forest Service reported Friday that the Parley Lake fire about 20 miles north of Ely, now estimated at 35 acres, is 10 percent contained. Aircraft continue to drop water on the fire, and ground crews are on the scene.
The Hoist Bay fire, near Basswood Lake about 12 miles northeast of Ely, still is estimated at 2½ acres and is being attacked from the air and on the ground. It's estimated to be 75 percent contained.
Just across the international border, between Knife and Emerald lakes, a fire known as Fort Frances No. 59 has burned about 500 acres and continues to be very active, the Forest Service said. Canadian fire crews are battling the blaze.
Those three fires have prompted numerous closures in the wilderness area. For updates, visit the Superior National Forest website: www.fs.usda.gov/superior . Fire restrictions remain in place for the BWCAW.
