Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis

07/27/2026

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is now open.

Spanning the river between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, this project will strengthen one of our busiest trade corridors, helping Canadian businesses grow, supporting good-paying jobs, and bringing economic benefits on both sides of the border for generations to come.

Photo credit: Gordie Howe International Bridge.

07/14/2026

July 2026 Superior NF Wildfires Facts Sheet, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 12:30 pm

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mnsuf-july-2026-superior-nf-wildfires

Superior National Forest Alert’s & Facebook: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/alerts
& https://www.facebook.com/SuperiorNF

MNICS Fire Information: 218-881-2091 (8:00 am–8:00 pm), [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/mnics.org

Evacuations-All Three Forest Counties
The forest and counties are coordinating public safety evacuations.

Lake County Emergency Management has initiated the “GO” for Hwy 16/Fernberg Corridor from the Garden Lake Bridge to the end of the Fernberg at Lake One. Evacuate immediately. A public shelter has been established at the Babbitt Municipal Building at 71 S Drive, Babbitt.
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/10688a627618414fa96159e8f70cba3c/page/Fire-Evacuation

St Louis County has implemented the Ready-Set-Go Notification System. Areas around the Sioux Fire (Superior NF management), and Marian Creek, Ridge, Beaver Tail, Coffin and Echo 2 Fires (MNICS management) are under evacuation statuses. https://sheriff-slcgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/wildfire

Cook County has implemented Ready-Set-Go for Ontario’s FOR028 wildfire for a northern portion of the Gunflint Trail area. https://cookcountymn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2f0cb0740663455e9fe5c47b7fdb2379

To sign up for emergency alerts, sign up at the county websites.

Closures & Fire Restrictions
Superior National Forest has issued an Expanded BWCAW Closure Order to protect the health and safety of visitors and firefighters due to the wildfires. Forest-wide fire restrictions are also in effect.

Key Message
Yesterday, extreme fire conditions occurred widespread across the entire forest. Most fires had wind-driven size growth and some spotting. With a Red Flag Warning, extreme heat, and active fire behavior expected today, firefighters and public safety will be the highest priorities as crews work under hot, dry, and windy conditions. Fire management anticipate another very high fire danger day today with increased fire activity and fire growth. Firefighters will use a full suppression strategy where conditions allow, adapting tactics as needed to maintain a safe and effective response. Smoke columns are visible from nearby communities.

Wildfires
Currently, the forest has 17 active wildfires, with 3 active fires inside the BWCAW and one new fire yesterday outside the BWCAW. Yesterday, two of the fires crossed the International Border–the Bear Trap Fire and the Thumb Fire. The forest is coordinating with Canadian Authorities.

The Minnesota Incident Command Team (MNICS) is managing 10 of the wildfires: Creek, Chub, Camp 5/Duck, Bug Creek, Ridge, Coffin, Marion Creek, Beaver Tail, Echo 2, and the Nine Fire. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is assisting with suppression activities within the forest. Quetico Provincial Park and Ontario also have numerous fires. Information on the Ontario fires: https://www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca/ForestFireInformationMap/index.html?viewer=FFIM.FFIM/

Non-Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Wildfires (14)
• NEW-Birch Island started 7/13/2026. Size–.25 acres. Location–Snowbank Lake. Cause: Under Investigation.
• Camp Fire started 7/7/2026. Size–2,200 acres. Location–5 miles north of Winton. Cause: Lightning. Status: Extreme fire behavior and large growth yesterday and some overnight. Evacuations in effect from this fire. Firefighters are conducting structure protection and suppression.
• Sioux Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–approximately 3,516 acres. Location–North of the Echo Trail and east of Jeanette Campground outside the BWCAW. Cause: Lightning. Status: Active with wind-driven spotting. Firefighters are utilizing structure protection.
• Buck Fire started 7/13/2026. Size–1 acre. Location–East of Trout Lake. Cause: Under Investigation.
• Echo 2 Fire started 7/8/2026. Size – 14 acres. Location – off the Echo Rapids Road, north of Echo Lake. Active fire activity yesterday. Crews effectively handled multiple instances of the fire crossing established control lines. Today, crews will continue working toward containing the fire.
• Beaver Tail started 7/9/2026. Size – 12 acres. Location – West of the Vermilion River. Active fire activity yesterday; minimal growth. Crews secured and improved estimated containment lines and mopped up. They will continue that work today and continue improving existing control lines and mopping up.
• Chub Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 81 acres. Location – North of Chub Lake, southwest of Crane Lake. Yesterday, crews scouted the fire and developed backup strategies for attacking the fire. Crews today will continue a dozer line to access the fire’s edge, secure and improve estimated containment lines, and work on mop up.
• Ridge Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 6 acres. Location – East of the Vermilion River. Minimal fire behavior yesterday. Crews will continue to reinforce and improve containment and control lines around the fire and work on mop up.
• Creek Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 3.3 acres. Location – Northwest of Chub Lake. Minimal fire activity yesterday. Yesterday, crews secured and improved estimated containment lines and will continue that work today along with mop up.
• Marion Creek started 7/9/2026. Size – 1.2 acres. Location – West of the Vermilion River. No significant fire activity yesterday. Crews accessed the fire over the weekend and established control lines. Today, crews will continue to find access points to the fire and improve existing control lines.
• Nine Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 5.3 acres. Location – South of Echo Lake. Minimal fire activity yesterday. Crews yesterday laid hose around the fire. Today, they will continue to secure and improve established containment lines and mop up.
• Camp 5/Duck Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – .6 acre. Location – North of Elephant Lake. Minimal to no fire activity was detected. Aircraft will monitor the area for heat and smoke daily.
• Bug Creek Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 0.1 acre. Location – South of Chub Lake. Little to no fire activity was detected. Aircraft will monitor the area for heat and smoke daily.
• Coffin Fire started 7/9/2026. Size – 0.1 acre. Location – Northwest of Echo Lake. Aircraft will continue to monitor the area daily for heat and smoke

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Wildfires (3)
• Dark Fire/Bear Trap Fire, now known as the Bear Trap Fire, started 7/7/2026. Total size of combined fires: Approximately 12,896 acres. Location–South of Lac La Croix, 20 miles N of Ely. Status–Extreme fire behavior with crowning, torching and spotting. Fire crossed the international border and entered Canaday yesterday. Aircraft are dropping water on this fire on the US side.
• Wolfpack Fire (BWCAW) started 7/9/2026. Size–Approximately 2,234 acres. Location–Southeast of Wolfpack Lake. Status–Remote location with difficult access. Aircraft are conducting suppression.
• Thumb Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026. Size–Approximately 12,327 acres. Location–remote & located 6 miles S of Gakijiwanong Anishnaabe Nation Canada. Cause: Lightning. Status Remote with difficult access. Active fire behavior. This fire has also crossed the Canadian Border and is in Canada. Aircraft continue to suppress the fire on the US side.

Press Briefing
A press briefing will be announced later today for a 1pm briefing tomorrow in Ely. Stay tuned.

Background
On the evening of July 6, 2026, a storm system moved through the area with lightning and little precipitation. The following day, several small wildfires were reported. Local and off‑forest firefighting resources are conducting suppression on these fires. With warm and dry summer conditions, additional wildfires are being detected daily.

National Weather Service Forecast
Today– Widespread smoke, mainly after 2pm. Increasing clouds and hot, with a high near 95. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight–Widespread smoke. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Northwest wind around 5 mph, becoming calm in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph Tomorrow– Widespread smoke, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind, becoming north around 5 mph in the morning. There is a Hazardous Weather Outlook, Extreme Heat Warning, Air Quality Alert, Red Flag Warnings through Tuesday

An Air Quality Alert has been issued for Tuesday–Thursday due to the wildfire smoke. Anticipate heavy smoke “Very Unhealthy” settling during the evening hours over the communities of Ely and east across the forest.

Air Operations
Aircraft are supporting the fires. A reminder - flying drones over the fire is prohibited. If drones are detected near the fire, any air operations supporting the fire will stop. Drones are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas.

📷: The Camp Fire taken from Moose Lake last night. Photo courtesy of Bria Schurke

07/14/2026

07/14/2026

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness emergency closure effective today 👇

🔥 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

07/13/2026

Updates on Superior National Forest wildfires 👇

July 2026 Superior National Forest Wildfires Facts Sheet -July 12, 2026, 7:30 pm Release

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mnsuf-july-2026-superior-nf-wildfires

Evacuations
St Louis County has implemented the Ready-Set-Go Notification System. It is currently at SET for the Sioux Fire. Residents should remain aware of current evacuation information and monitor official county communication channels for updates.
https://sheriff-slcgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/wildfire
https://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/residents/emergencies/planning-and-preparedness
Tips from Cook County on Evacuations: https://cookcountymn.gov/news_detail_T6_R615.php

Closures & Fire Restrictions
Superior National Forest has issued an updated Emergency Forest Closure order for portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) to protect the health and safety of visitors and firefighters due to an active wildfire in the Quetico Provincial Park. In addition, the forest has implemented Forest-wide fire restrictions. Visitors are encouraged to continue monitoring official information sources, including the forest’s Alerts page , Inciweb, Facebook and X, for the latest updates.

Notice
Today the Minnesota Incident Command Team (MNICS) took command of the following 10 wildfires: Creek, Chub, Camp 5/Duck, Bug Creek, Ridge, Coffin, Marion Creek, Beaver Tail, Echo 2, and the Nine Fire. The MNICS information phone number is: 218-881-2091. Updates will be posted to Inciweb and the MNICS page.

Wildfires
Currently, the forest has 20 active wildfires, with five inside the BWCAW, and one new fire, the Dark Fire. As of this afternoon, the Dark Fire and the Bear Trap Fire have merged. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is assisting with suppression activities within the forest. Quetico Provincial Park and Ontario also have numerous fires.

Some wildfires experienced increased growth this afternoon due to higher winds, low vegetation moisture, and low relative humidity. Smoke columns are visible from nearby communities.

Superior National Forest managed wildfire information

Non-Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Wildfires

• Sioux Fire started 7/9/2026. Size–288 acres. Location–North of the Echo Trail and east of Jeanette Campground outside the BWCAW. Cause: Unknown. Status: Active with wind-driven spotting. Currently the fire is burning towards the BWCAW. The forest is currently removing vehicles from the Little Indian Sioux Entry Point (14) parking lot due to the wildfire’s direction of spread. Firefighting resources are working on suppression.
• Camp Fire started 7/7/2026, Size–1.6 acre. Location–8 miles N/NE of the Cloquet Line near Ely. Cause–Lighting. Status: 100% contained. This will be the final report for this fire.
• Fools Gold started 7/8/2026, Size–2.1-acres, Location–West of Norway Road and south of Lake Jeanette. Cause: Unknown. Status: 100% contained. This will be the final report for this fire.
• Rabbit Fire started 7/10/26. Size–12 acres. Cause: Unknown. Location–South of Ray in Koochiching State Forest. Firefighters are suppressing the fire.
• 614 started 7/9/2026. Size–7.3 acres. Location–Northwest of Ash Lake/East of Hwy 53. Approximately 50% contained. Firefighters are continuing suppression efforts.
• Beaver Tail Fire started 7/8/2026. Size–10 acre. Location–West of the Vermilion River. Blowdown and dead balsam. Aircraft and firefighters are suppressing.

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Wildfires

• NEW FIRE-Dark Fire, Location–East of Dark Lake and south of Lac La Croix. Location–Reported at 20 acres and spotting. This fire has merged with the Bear Trap Fire (BWCAW). Location–Off the Bear Trap River & N of Sunday Lake. Total size of combined fires: 700 acres. Burning towards Crooked Lake. Very active fire activity. Aircraft are dropping water on these fires. This fire, which is now known as the Dark Fire/Bear Trap Fire.
• Wolfpack Fire (BWCAW) started 7/9/2026. Size–80 acres. Location–Southeast of Wolfpack Lake. Remote location with difficult access. Aircraft are conducting suppression.
• Thumb Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026, Size–600 acres. Location–remote & located between Thumb and Contentment Lakes. Caused by lightning. Status Remote with difficult access. Aircraft are dropping water on this fire.
• Section 3 Pond Fire (BWCAW) started 7/7/2026, Size– 2.3 acres. Location–on Section Pond, east of Lac La Croix. Cause is under investigation. Status: This fire is 100% contained. This will be the last report.

Earlier fires on the Superior National Forest also being suppressed–Long 2 Wildfire. This fire is currently 100% contained and controlled. This is the last update for this fire.

Background
On the evening of July 6, 2026, a storm system moved through the area with thunder and lightning and little precipitation. The following day, several small wildfires were reported. Local and off‑forest firefighting resources are conducting suppression on these fires. With warm and dry summer conditions, additional wildfires are being detected daily.

National Weather Service Forecast
Tonight–– Mostly clear. Low of 72. Southwest wind 5-10 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. Red Flag Warning in effect until 9pm tonight. Tomorrow–Sunny and hot, with a high of 100. Breezy, with a west wind of 5-15 mph, gusts up to 25 mph. There is an Extreme Heat Warning in effect until July 14, and a Fire Weather Watch is in effect until Monday.

Air Operations
Aircraft are available and are supporting the fires. A reminder - flying drones over the fire is prohibited. If drones are detected near the fire, any air operations supporting the fire will stop. Drones are illegal in federally designated wilderness areas.

📷: View of the Thumb Fire from Crane Lake. Photo courtesy of MNICS

07/03/2026

The Consulate General of Canada will be closed on Monday, July 6. Canadians in the U.S. in need of emergency consular assistance, please visit http://bit.ly/3TedfOE or call 1-844-880-6519.

07/03/2026

Boundary Waters Canoe Area paddlers: If you are seeking to enter Canada by boat and disembark, there are two new marine telephone reporting sites in Quetico Provincial Park – one at the Prairie Portage Ranger Station and one at the Cache Bay Ranger Station. These can only be accessed by non-motorized vessels. More info from the Canada Border Services Agency:

Cache Bay Ranger Station: https://do-rb.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/?lang=en_CA&id=137232386
Prairie Portage Ranger Station: https://do-rb.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/?lang=en_CA&id=137232387

06/19/2026

We celebrated Canada Day a little early this year - thank you to all our friends who came out yesterday to join us! Thanks in particular to Minnesota State Senator Mary Kunesh and to Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General Shawn Manke for your thoughtful remarks, and to Québec's Jean-François Hould and Alberta's Bin Lau for joining us from Chicago.

It was so nice to celebrate the Canada-Minnesota relationship - the best of neighbours and friends! And perfect timing to cheer on Canada for their FIFA World Cup 2026™ match against Qatar!

06/12/2026

We had a great time yesterday atThe Market at Malcolm Yards for our FIFA World Cup 2026™ Opening Ceremony and first game viewing event! We even had poutine tacos! 🇨🇦🇲🇽 Thanks to our partners Global Minnesota and Consulmex Saint Paul - and to everyone who came out to join us!