Wildfire in North Shore park is 95% contained, officials say

Firefighters have almost completely contained a wildfire in a North Shore park that has burned hundreds of acres of woodland over the last week.

According to an update from the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, the fire that has scorched 300 acres of maple trees and fall leaf litter in George H. Crosby Manitou State Park was about 95% contained on Wednesday.

The progress has led officials to decide to reopen on Thursday a portion of the park’s Superior Hiking Trail that had been closed over the past week.

Rain has helped firefighters working to mop up smoldering hot spots.

The blaze, which was started by a lightning strike, was detected a week ago along a ridge near the Caribou River in the park, about 10 miles southwest of Tofte.

The Superior Hiking Trail between Caribou Falls State Wayside, along Hwy. 61, and Lake County Road 7 will reopen Thursday morning.

Officials are encouraging hikers to stay on the trail when it reopens. Crews will still be working in the area. Trees might be “fire weakened, which poses a danger to falling.” Hikers might also see ash or see and smell smoke.

In May, the Camp House and Jenkins Creek wildfires scorched more than 45 square miles of land north of Duluth, burning 150 structures before hundreds of firefighters contained them.

Officials say the Jenkins Fire was “human-caused,” and they are continuing to investigate. Last month, investigators charged a Duluth man with causing the Camp House fire, after determining that the 27-year-old man failed to put out a fire on his property.