"It’s been a hectic few days for Clare Shirley, who owns Sawbill Canoe Outfitters north of Tofte, Minn.

Her business is on Sawbill Lake — a popular Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness entry point about four miles from the Whelp and John Ek fires burning inside the BWCA.

Shirley said she started rerouting customers on Friday when the Forest Service widened a restricted area to include a group of lakes south of the fires.

"[We] went to bed, feeling like we had gotten a handle on it," she recalled Sunday. "Woke up the next morning, got a call early in the morning that said, 'We’re going to shut down the whole wilderness.' And we were like 'OK, we need to call more people.'"

In the wake of Saturday's closure order — which will remain in effect for at least a week — Shirley said many customers have canceled their trips. Others have opted for camping spots in the Superior National Forest that are outside the BWCA."

Matt Sepic reports for Minnesota Public Radio August 23, 2021. [2]