your prayers needed
I'm very sad to report that another wildfire has caught up by my grandparent's retirment home. Unfortunately this one looks BAD. It caught on thursday or friday night from an improperly put out campfire. My grandparents and allr esidents in the last 7 miles of the gunflint trail have been manditorally evacuated (thank heavens!!!) and are SAFE. The same can not be said of their property, the properties of their friends and neighbors, nor of all the precious wilderness habitat in that area. It isn't on the official reports yet, but my grandfather has said that already one of the local outfitter's property has burnt. These folks count on this property for their livelhood.  I've met them personally and they are great people. I don't know how bad it is, but hopefully their main buildings were spared. this would make the 2nd outfitter to be affected. An outbuilding of a lodge farther south has already burnt.
Please, please pray for the saftey of the brave men and women who are fighting this blaze on the local's behalf, and that the remaining properties are spared of damage. My family, and all those affected appreciate your support. |
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| where is the fire? Is it government land? Just asking as I'll watch thru government fire reports....... |
| Oh Karen, how scary! I'll keep your grandparents and everyone who lives by them in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us up-to-date on happenings. |
| Part of that area may be considered Superior National Forest. The fire is headed into the BWCA (Bounday Waters Canoe Area), if it's not there already. I DO know that the MN DNR is involved and has some info on the fire on their website.
The most recent update as of the 12pm news says that the officials are reporting several structures damaged, but haven't said which ones. this is the first fire in the northern gunflint trail to pose a serious risk to this many buildings. Mostly, the amazing work of the firefighters in the past, and the careful proscribed burning by the DNR have been safeguarding people's homes and businesses. Unfortunately, it looks like this one is getting the best of them right now |
| Is it the Ham Lake or Border fire? I'm guessing Ham Lake. They are being slow with updates, but it doesn't look good. Prayers for your grandparents and others in the area. |
| It's the Ham Lake fire. They're not putting out many details, hopefully I'll hear more this evening when we have another update from my grandparents. |
| Fires are so scary and unpredictable. I hope everything is okay up there. |
| Well wishes to all involved, I hope everyone is okay. |
| May the people all be safe |
| Your intentions are in my prayers. |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Well wishes to all involved, I hope everyone is okay.
ditto |
| From the SE corner of Mississipi, right on up to you, I'm sending lots of good thoughts and prayers for the safety and well being of all of my fellow Minnesotans up north. It's beautiful country up there, full of wonderful people. |
| You are in our thoughts and prayers - its so scarry when you don't know. |
| Thinking of you all and hoping not too much damage or no loss of life in the wild fire. Hoping it will be under control soon.
Know exactly how you are feeling especially with your grandparents in the area, glad to hear they have evacuated. Fires are so scary and so unpredictable as to where they burn next. Sending prayers to all those that fight fires and put their lives at risk to help the communities. |
| We are sending our thoughts of support for all involved. |
| Well,
We had some news last night. My grandparent's property, along with the homes of their two immediate neighbors to the right and left were spared. Everything else in the area is gone. The homes surrounding them, the campground area down the lane, the moose pond. Everything has burnt. More then 30 structures have been reported damaged so far. It breaks my heart to think of all the places I played as a child being burned to the ground. I really wanted my baby to be able to go up there and be able to enjoy the beauty of that area, and now it will never be the same. Luckily, all of the residents remain safe, and there have been no reported injuries among the brave men and women fighting the flames. Apparently, they've only had real success saving properties that, like my grandparent's home, installed sprinkler systems. It's amazing the difference that these systems have made. They basically pull water from lines direct from the lake and continually soak the homes and surrounding trees etc. When the fire passes through these areas, it doesn't have the opportunity to catch on dry timber, because everything is kept moist. Please keep all of the home and business owners up there in your thoughts and prayers. Many good people have lost livelihoods and homes to the fires already. Hopefully, they will be able to push back the fire today, and prevent any further loss. |
| Thank the Lord that your grandparents property has been spared and they have contained the fire. Will keep you all in my prayers. |
This is good news and bad news 
I'm so sad for the area in general and for all the property lost for those people, but I'm very glad that your grandparents' place made it okay. I hope people will take note of the importance of that sprinkler system. |
| That is great news. I hadn't heard of the sprinklers - what a good idea. |
I am glad everyone is okay! Also that your Grandparent's place was spared 
It is very sad that so many places were destroyed.  |
| Thanks everyone. We're all very releived that their home was spared. We're sure that there will be smoke damage, with such a huge fire coming so close, but hopefully insurance will replace anything no longer useable. It looks like the weather is being a little kinder to them today, but the news says there are still 90 structures in the danger zone We sure could use rain clouds up there!!! I'll try to find some pcitures of their home and area so you can see what it all looked like. I know I have some pics of the orchids up in their yard. |
| You are right, it's never again the same.......in our life time. After the fire, the smell remains for months. The soot washes down with the rain, clogging culverts, landslides, it's a mess. But when the rains come, life returns quickly. OK, it's wild flowers like fireweed, but it's green! Trees are long coming back, in the mean time the grasses and forbs move in and the wildlife return to the better grazing areas. It's all so sad for those who have lost everything.......but it's also a renewal. Hard to see the good though the mess, though. Your family must be heartbroken. |
| If anyone is interested in learning more about the sitaution up there, here is a link to one of our local news channels. The woman quoted in the story is my grandmother. Apparently they interviewed her regarding the situation. They were allowed back to their look at their home briefly yesterday, but the fire flared up again, and they had to get out of there, before it cut off them from getting out. There's supposed to be a video of her too, but I have yet to find it.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article ... yid=253298 there are also some absolutely AMAZING pictures posted on the incident update website. Some of the things those firefighter face wothout blinking, it just blows my mind. Beautfiul and utterly horrifying at the same time http://mnics.org/Incidents/Fire_1/index1.htm They just ordered more mandatory evacuations for an area farther south and east. They're worried a change of wind will push the fire into more homes and businesses. It is still a very volatile situation up there. |
| I watched KARE11 at 5pm last night - saw that story. The 2 ladies interviewed were Jenny Gaolen and Ardis David - are they your relatives??
It is so dry up there. Todd has a friend with property up there, and they go up several times each summer and bear hunt in the fall. Todd has been saying they need more rain for YEARS! It was just a matter of time until there was a bad fire - just too dry. |
| Just terrifying the pictures, I hope they get it under control soon and the weather is favourable to help them.
The pictures are like looking at Victoria and the wild fires that we had. Ours burnt for over 2 months, so I hope you get rain soon as that is what finally extinguished our wild fire. Sending prayers for rain. |
| Dawn,
My Grandparent's name is Sierakowski (sarah cow ski). I don't think she was on last night... I'm still trying to hunt down the clip for her. |
| My prayers are with each and everyone! God bless!
Mouthypf |
| I'm so sorry about the area, but I'm glad no one was harmed! |
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