07/13/2026
🔥 Update
Superior NF Issues Emergency Closure for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Effective July 14,2026
The Boundary Waters is temporarily closing to protect public health and safety.
Superior National Forest is temporarily closing public access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) beginning July 14 at 12:01 a.m. This difficult decision comes after a surge of wildfires across the forest and unusually hot, dry and windy weather is causing fires to spread fast and unpredictably.
This closure is about keeping people safe. Wildfires don’t just threaten trees and campsites—they create dangerous smoke, unstable conditions, and rapidly shifting fire behavior that can trap visitors with little warning. Even healthy adults can experience breathing problems when smoke levels rise, and people with heart or lung conditions can be especially vulnerable. In a wilderness as large and remote as the Boundary Waters, emergency response is challenging even on a normal day; during potential widespread wildfires, those risks increase significantly.
For maps, Q&A, and more information on the emergency order, visit: https://fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/alerts and Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mnsuf-july-2026-superior-nf-wildfires
