Friday: Relief in the air along the Gunflint

ON THE GUNFLINT TRAIL - Cloudy, cool relief descended Friday on the Gunflint Trail as lower temperatures and flagging winds slowed the Ham Lake fire's hungry march.

Forest ranger Mark VanEvery told hundreds of people gathered in Grand Marais on Friday evening that the fire has destroyed 134 structures worth $3.7 million, but that a turn in the weather helped firefighters prevent more losses.

"It was a very good day from a weather standpoint," VanEvery said.

The relief was acute for those who had witnessed the blaze flare to unprecedented strength late Thursday as it consumed cabins, lodges and garages, while growing to 55,000 acres, or nearly 86 square miles.

The fire, described at its peak as a 2-mile-wide wall of flame, pushed 13 miles into Canada and 12 miles down the Gunflint by Friday morning.

Evacuations were ordered near Northern Light Lake in Canada and along most of the western half of the 60-mile Gunflint Trail, which was closed to the public near Trail Center.

Authorities also closed all the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) Wilderness entry points in the Gunflint District and at least four entry points in the Tofte District. Authorities said this was because of the fire and because the region is so dry they want to avoid others.

Public boat landings, trails, trailheads and campgrounds were closed on the eve of the fishing opener this weekend, spoiling plans for legions of fishermen expected here.

The fire spilled over the east end of Gunflint Lake before heading south, crossing the Gunflint Trail and pushing beyond Rush Lake. The tally of buildings lost now includes 62 cabins and homes, six garages and 22 other outbuildings.

The losses also include 44 structures in a 51-year-old camp called Wilderness Canoe Base, which is spread over the mainland of Sea Gull Lake, as well as two of its islands, Fishhook and Dominion. Most of the camp's many buildings on Dominion and Fishhook were destroyed, residents said

A fear that easterly winds predicted for early today could push the fire west has property owners along the southern edge of Gunflint Lake anxious.

"We want to be realistic," said VanEvery. "The fire could take more big runs."

The owners of the Gunflint Lodge said they remain unscathed. The lodge hosted 500 firefighters for most of this week, serving up 1,500 meals daily, said owner Bruce Kerfoot. "The lodge is completely intact," he said.

A day after the fire's march toward the south and east, homeowners who saw it late Thursday described the blaze as a roiling black monster throwing off green clouds, white thunderheads and a noise like a freight train.

It ate up 12 miles of forest as it approached the Okontoe campground, a collection of 24 cabins and houses at mile 27.

"Coming over our house all of a sudden there were these massive plumes coming up, not just black and green, but they were red and orange," said owner Mark Patten, who learned later that the fire was burning up the fire-retardant chemicals dropped by aircraft.

He told his family to start packing at 2 p.m. A friend arrived later in the day to take their four Belgian horses to a farm in nearby Schroeder, Minn.

Like WWII bombings

The fire pressed south until it hit Gunflint Lake, a mile or so across the water from the home of Rick and Dorothy Knecht, who watched the approach.

The flames rose over the distant ridge lines, then disappeared from view as they swooped into gullies, returning to view as they claimed the next ridge. The fire pushed ahead of itself a wall of noise.

"Everything was blowing up," said Dorothy Knecht, who compared it to the German bombing raids she survived as a child growing up in England during World War II. "It was like the worst night of the bombings."

The couple began hurriedly packing after evacuation orders were given, then caught themselves laughing in the panic and fear.

"The things that we took were kind of ludicrous," said Dorothy. "[Rick] was laughing his head off. 'Why am I wrapping two Easter plates that look like crud anyhow?' Well the children made them when they were 8 years old. Our children are nearly 50 now."

'Cross our fingers'

Residents know the worst may still be on its way, especially if the winds do shift.

"It's getting near making a 360," said Bob Baker Sr., who lives on a ridge overlooking Gunflint Lake. "It's almost back to its origin. Unfortunately, it's covering a lot of territory to get there."

He told a neighbor it was time to "cross our fingers."

That's about all Cindy Imsdahl-Tiffany can do today. The Gunflint Lake homeowner said she watched the Canadian shore burn before she was evacuated.

"Half of the sky above us was all black. There were whitecaps on the lake. It was so windy. It was coming straight at us. When I looked across the lake and saw everything burning, it was time to go."

Staff writer Larry Oakes contributed to this report. Matt McKinney • 612-673-7329 • mckinney@startribune.com