Last Saturday on a day trip adventure from Homer through Vern, Juno, off of Brule and a hike back to Homer, my wife and I slowed by the middle campsite on Juno, one I had stayed at weeks earlier. It was my desire to show her a marginal location as she is accustomed to rather deluxe sites.

"Can't stop honey, I see smoke coming from the grate," I whispered. We slowly moved on, not wanting to disturb the residents. Twenty feet further and we were surprised when a huge buzzard jumped from the edge of the camp and flew into a nearby tree. Now our curiosity was piqued as it was unlikely anyone was in the camp.

The closer we got, it became obvious that someone had left the site very recently. The big bird of prey was munching on fresh fish remains ten feet to the edge of the tent pad and the fire was still smoldering, close to burning...with fresh and dry wood placed neatly inside the grate on top of the remaining bed. Many hat full's of water later we departed leaving the fish for the bird as he saw it first and deserved a reward for bringing our attention to the campfire.

However it was a pretty odd and disconcerting incident and a great reminder to double, no, triple check, your fire pits.

Anyone else encounter a situation like this?

Never have and hope I never do.

Not in the BWCA but when we have been out on the Namekagon river in WI and the Manistee river over in MI. Being a Firefighter I stop and put he fires out. The one was set up kind of like they wanted it to start a forest fire as they had a large log in the fire pit and leading over to more wood over in the woods. I've probably put out about 6-8 fires left unattended. In fact I bought a collapsible bucket just for putting out future fires I come across.

Yes I have gone to a campsite and found the fire smoldering. My older brother wanted to leave the fire burn it self out as we went to bed. He did not want the ash on his tent. I got yelled at as I dumped the water bag on the fire. Not on my watch.

what bird was that "buzzard"? a raven, crow, or eagle?

Yep. Had a similar situation happen in Quetico in a very dry year. Saw a group leave a site off in the distance. As we approached the site, we saw smoke and also doused out a fire that could have had major repercussions considering the dryness that year.

quote h20: "what bird was that "buzzard"? a raven, crow, or eagle?"

turkey vulture.

I've put out two smoldering fires. Well, one wasn't smoldering at all--it was at a full burn.

It is pretty scary when you think about how often this kind of thing happens. Kind of surprising there aren't more human-caused forest fires.

I can think of two incidents when we stopped at campsites for lunch and found fires in the grate still smoldering. Not really burning, but definitely not "cold out". Both times we took care to make sure that they were cold before we left.

From the history books of the Ham Lake fire....... It only takes one careless act. The story (from hearsay) is that this man eventually committed suicide

A federal grand jury has indicted a Washington D.C. man in connection with last year's Ham Lake fire, which burned 75,000 acres of forest along the Gunflint Trail in northeast Minnesota.

The indictment charges Stephen Posniak, 64, with setting a fire, leaving that fire unattended, and lying to Forest Service officers.

Posniak camped overnight on Ham Lake the evening of May 4, 2007, and started a paper trash fire the next morning that spread to nearby timber, underbrush and grass, the indictment alleges. He left the fire unattended without extinguishing it completely, it says.

He also falsely told U.S. Forest Service officers that he had camped on Cross Bay Lake, not Ham Lake, and that he encountered the fire already burning out of control at a Ham Lake campsite the morning of May 5 as he canoed back through Ham Lake to Tuscarora Lodge, a resort and outfitter on the Gunflint Trail.

The Ham Lake Fire burned for more than a week, blackening about 57 square miles of the Superior National Forest in and near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area plus about 61 square miles across the border in Ontario. It cost around $11 million to put out.

It was rated the most destructive forest fire in Minnesota since 1918. It damaged or destroyed some 140 structures worth about $4 million on the Minnesota side, including 10 year-round homes, according to Forest Service figures, but nobody was killed or seriously injured.

About 3 years ago I was on Agnes Lake,just north of my camp there were a group of 8 guys camped, one day I headed up to Lac La Croix and as I went by their camp I didn't see any canoes around but assumed they were out fishing somewhere, on my way back that evening there were still no canoes but smoke curling from the grill area, when I climbed up to the site there was still fire in the fire pit, one log about 6 inches across was burning, took it down and threw it in the lake, then used my sponge to wet things down, paddled back to camp and got my bucket and drowned the whole firepit area. That whole area was covered with fire restrictions campfires from 1900 to 2400hrs I believe. FRED

found this in Boulder bay a couple years ago.a burning snag in the fire place along with pan handles from a outfitter,a bug spray can,cig butts all over the place.i tossed the snag in the lake and took the lures they forgot next to a piles of drying leaches-------
i will say thats only the second i found since the 80's the first was at the Singing Brook portage where someone set up a big dome tent and made a fire place out of a small ring of rocks.

But then I have met people that pride themselves pn building a fire so big that the next morning they can get fire by throwing a few stick on the coals. Camp at any music festival. Those people abound. An in-law of mine bragged about lighting one match for an entire week fish camp.

However, to be fair, water is so hard to find in the BW/Q.

quote kanoes: "

quote h20: "what bird was that "buzzard"? a raven, crow, or eagle?"

turkey vulture."

Yes, a big turkey vulture...not shy so we got a great look at it.

Same thing happen to us on Poly in May-smoking fry oil/wood in the fire pit and bits of garbage all over the site with green saplings cut for fire wood. Took all night to get the oil in the fire pit burned out and the site picked up-pig campers

quote esolutions: "Same thing happen to us on Poly in May-smoking fry oil/wood in the fire pit and bits of garbage all over the site with green saplings cut for fire wood. Took all night to get the oil in the fire pit burned out and the site picked up-pig campers"

Yes - we were on Slim Lake several years ago looking for a campsite. We paddled by a campsite where a father and a couple of young boys were breaking camp. So we paddled off to look for another site. Since there were no other available sites, we went back to the first campsite which was now vacant. This group left a smoldering campfire. Of course, the first thing we did was to put it out. It had been a dry summer - and in fact, this incident happened about one week before the Pagami Creek fire started.

I just don't know what people are thinking when they do things like this. Pure stupidity.

quote ECpizza: "But then I have met people that pride themselves pn building a fire so big that the next morning they can get fire by throwing a few stick on the coals. Camp at any music festival. Those people abound. An in-law of mine bragged about lighting one match for an entire week fish camp.


However, to be fair, water is so hard to find in the BW/Q."

Hmmmmm. I'd like to see people who leave fires unattended as described above strung up by their goozles, but I don't see what's wrong with having enough coals to reignite sticks for the next morning's fire. I've done that for years, both when base camping and multi-day float camping. Different strokes in the BWCA perhaps?

Not in the BWCAW, but I had to put out smoldering garbage twice at dispersed sites within the Superior National Forest.

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote ECpizza: "But then I have met people that pride themselves pn building a fire so big that the next morning they can get fire by throwing a few stick on the coals. Camp at any music festival. Those people abound. An in-law of mine bragged about lighting one match for an entire week fish camp.



However, to be fair, water is so hard to find in the BW/Q."

Hmmmmm. I'd like to see people who leave fires unattended as described above strung up by their goozles, but I don't see what's wrong with having enough coals to reignite sticks for the next morning's fire. I've done that for years, both when base camping and multi-day float camping. Different strokes in the BWCA perhaps? "

I wonder how many people who would never leave a smoldering fire when leaving camp douse there fire completely before going to bed at night. Is there a difference?

Dad and I came across a scary scene some years ago while fishing a bit north of Marcell. As we neared a spot we'd shore lunched before we could smell something burning, obviously from somewhere very near that spot. No one was on it, so I beached the boat and we walked up. There was nothing going on in the fire pit, no smoke, no heat, nothing. About 30 feet away I spotted smoke coming up from the ground. As I got to digging at it, it became apparent the fire had traveled through the sandy soil and pine needles from the fire pit to that spot!

Years ago, my wife Terri and I took a couple on their first trip in the BWCAW. One night we were sitting around a camp fire , relaxing, Terri and I , called it a night and turned in. I woke up about two hours later. The tent walls were glowing! I peeked out the door to find flames coming out of the ring, licking the pine bows above it! I grabbed the pots and pans , filled them and put the fire out. No one else stirred.
The next morning I asked if our friends doused the fire last night. The answer was " I did not know what to do with all the extra fire wood, so I put it on the fire and went to bed "! I can not type what my response was , but that was the last time I did not put the fire out with new people with me.

If I found this kind of thing, I'd snap a photo and alert the Forest Service. They can often tell who was the last person or group at that site.

Even if it's not a cite-able violation (for whatever reason), they may at least mention something to the person about being more careful and the potential ramifications of not making sure the fire is completely out.

I think most people using the BWCAW really do care, but may not realize that their fire-dousing skills are a bit lacking.

There is one explanation for all these incidences.....shit for brains. Pardon my French, but I call them as I see them.

quote kanoes: "

quote h20: "what bird was that "buzzard"? a raven, crow, or eagle?"

turkey vulture."

That would be my guess. One very unattractive creature.

I imagine they don't put the fires out and leave them smoldering due to the lack of water available. LOL

quote mr.barley: "There is one explanation for all these incidences.....shit for brains. Pardon my French, but I call them as I see them."

I wholeheartedly agree...probably the same types that toss their cigarette butts out the car window even though every vehicle has an ashtray built right in!

quote Northland: "If I found this kind of thing, I'd snap a photo and alert the Forest Service. They can often tell who was the last person or group at that site.


Even if it's not a cite-able violation (for whatever reason), they may at least mention something to the person about being more careful and the potential ramifications of not making sure the fire is completely out.


I think most people using the BWCAW really do care, but may not realize that their fire-dousing skills are a bit lacking."

I doubt they have any idea who, is at what site, when......

I've put out 2 smoldering fire pits in empty camps over the years. After reading all these accounts, it's a wonder there aren't more wild fires every summer from the stupidity. I watch the LNT film and I wonder "who doesn't drown and stir their fire"......now I know....quite a few people.

quote hobbydog: "

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote ECpizza: "But then I have met people that pride themselves pn building a fire so big that the next morning they can get fire by throwing a few stick on the coals. Camp at any music festival. Those people abound. An in-law of mine bragged about lighting one match for an entire week fish camp.



However, to be fair, water is so hard to find in the BW/Q."

Hmmmmm. I'd like to see people who leave fires unattended as described above strung up by their goozles, but I don't see what's wrong with having enough coals to reignite sticks for the next morning's fire. I've done that for years, both when base camping and multi-day float camping. Different strokes in the BWCA perhaps? "

I wonder how many people who would never leave a smoldering fire when leaving camp douse there fire completely before going to bed at night. Is there a difference? "

Not sure I undertand the question, nor am I sure whether you pose it rhetorically. However, I would never leave camp with a fire smoldering but I don't douse a smoldering fire before bed as I don't think it's necessary. This may be because my fires are on sand or gravel bars, but in any case I don't see how a rational person could equate sleeping next to a smoldering fire with leaving camp for good under the same circumstance. Again, if I'm missing something please enlighten me.

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote hobbydog: "

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote ECpizza: "But then I have met people that pride themselves pn building a fire so big that the next morning they can get fire by throwing a few stick on the coals. Camp at any music festival. Those people abound. An in-law of mine bragged about lighting one match for an entire week fish camp.




However, to be fair, water is so hard to find in the BW/Q."

Hmmmmm. I'd like to see people who leave fires unattended as described above strung up by their goozles, but I don't see what's wrong with having enough coals to reignite sticks for the next morning's fire. I've done that for years, both when base camping and multi-day float camping. Different strokes in the BWCA perhaps? "

I wonder how many people who would never leave a smoldering fire when leaving camp douse there fire completely before going to bed at night. Is there a difference? "

Not sure I undertand the question, nor am I sure whether you pose it rhetorically. However, I would never leave camp with a fire smoldering but I don't douse a smoldering fire before bed as I don't think it's necessary. This may be because my fires are on sand or gravel bars, but in any case I don't see how a rational person could equate sleeping next to a smoldering fire with leaving camp for good under the same circumstance. Again, if I'm missing something please enlighten me."

It is in the BWCA rules, last paragraph...just wonder how many follow the letter of the law.

CAMPFIRES

Due to potential fire danger, fire restrictions may be in effect. Always check current conditions before your trip. Restrictions may ban campfires and may add further restrictions.

Camp stoves are recommend over campfires as they do not require fire wood, heat food faster, work better in wet weather, and are generally safer.

Fires are only allowed within the steel fire grates at designated campsites or as specifically approved on your visitor's permit.

If you build a campfire, use only dead wood found lying on the ground. Do not cut or break branches, or peel bark off standing trees. Paddle further down the lake from your campsite to gather dead and down wood. It is recommended to bring a small folding saw to cut wood from fallen trees.

Always keep water near your campfire and drown the fire if you are going to leave it. Do not leave it burning when you go to bed. Ashes should be cold to the touch with a bare hand before leaving unattended.

A few years ago we were called out to an island fire on a lake near home. We had no immediate means to get out there and there was someone camped there. We sounded the sirens and horns with no response. We got a boat and went out there and they were asleep. They thought they'd put the fire out but the wind must have rekindled it. We spent the better part of the morning putting out little fires everywhere on the island. That's when the DNR came with a little floating pump you fire up and throw it in the lake. That was so cool we got one for our use. Yes, put out your fires before you go to bed!

When I finally make it the BWCA I will definitely wet down what's left of the fire before bed.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "From the history books of the Ham Lake fire....... It only takes one careless act. The story (from hearsay) is that this man eventually committed suicide


A federal grand jury has indicted a Washington D.C. man in connection with last year's Ham Lake fire, which burned 75,000 acres of forest along the Gunflint Trail in northeast Minnesota.


The indictment charges Stephen Posniak, 64, with setting a fire, leaving that fire unattended, and lying to Forest Service officers.


Posniak camped overnight on Ham Lake the evening of May 4, 2007, and started a paper trash fire the next morning that spread to nearby timber, underbrush and grass, the indictment alleges. He left the fire unattended without extinguishing it completely, it says.


He also falsely told U.S. Forest Service officers that he had camped on Cross Bay Lake, not Ham Lake, and that he encountered the fire already burning out of control at a Ham Lake campsite the morning of May 5 as he canoed back through Ham Lake to Tuscarora Lodge, a resort and outfitter on the Gunflint Trail.


The Ham Lake Fire burned for more than a week, blackening about 57 square miles of the Superior National Forest in and near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area plus about 61 square miles across the border in Ontario. It cost around $11 million to put out.


It was rated the most destructive forest fire in Minnesota since 1918. It damaged or destroyed some 140 structures worth about $4 million on the Minnesota side, including 10 year-round homes, according to Forest Service figures, but nobody was killed or seriously injured.
"

Two (or more) sides to every story: Hamm Lake fire

His death was the greatest tragedy. The greatest disgrace was the people who called for his death or threatened him.

+1000

Truly a tragic event for him and everyone affected. I have always tripped in Sept., often under a fire ban or fire restriction, other times just under very dry and windy conditions. I have often skipped a fire under those conditions, just because of the danger of it getting out of hand.

We haven't come across the fire issue, but that last two trips we've found fish/food at our campsites. Last year it was raining so we set up camp fast and hunkered down. The next morning I found half an onion hanging from a tree branch and a whole fish about 15 feet away. This year, the first campsite had a half dozen fish skeletons laying on the trail to one of the tent pads.

After last year, the lesson learned, is check your campsite.

On the edge of Friday Bay we came to site where there was still smoke coming up through the grate. We hadn't seen another soul all day, thought it a little odd. Our feelings went from odd to disappointed when we notice the campsite was littered with butts and we found several balls of aluminum foil in the fire pit.

It's a crumby feeling, seeing the evidence of others not respecting such an amazing place.

What did I hear the other day?... Even duct tape can't fix stupid. But it muffles it pretty well. :)

On the river a few years ago. We were in the throes of a severe drought and came around a bend to see a group leaving a gravel bar with a fire going. We hollered at them and they cursed at us and paddled away. We put it out and looked for them on down river but ended up unpinning a canoe for another group and never caught them. We DID tell the ranger so he could let the local outfitters know so they could warn their customers not to do this.