With the wildfires raging in Alberta seemingly not showing signs of slowing down, I'm sadly resigning myself to the fact that my BWCA trip in 3 weeks is going to be one of orange haze, unless some south/east winds come in and blow the smoke away.

We're not even in June yet. I fear this is just the beginning. Back in 2021, a huge chunk of Quetico burned. I really wanted my first trip to be the southwest corner near LLC, and literally my entire planned 60 mile route burned pretty heavily.

Is anyone else worried about fires this year? Does anyone have a southeasterly wind deity that I can make a sacrifice to for my trip next month?

I fought wildfires for 30 years some of those were in the BW.
Alot can happen in 3 weeks with wind and other fire weather factors, it is just too hard to predict, but personally I wouldn't be too worried.

Say a prayer to Big Ernie. The fire god of wildland firefighters.

Big Ernie = The wildland firefighters god. A deity with a rather twisted sense of humor, justice, and fair play. Determines good and bad days for firefighters.

Alberta


Anyone up by Ely-it must be a little smokey. In Brainers it is only 1600 or 4 PM and it looks dark outside because of the smoke.

Moose lake looks smokey

I was lucky enough that we got in the LLC area in June of 2021, just a week or two before the fire. Otherwise, our trip would have been ruined too. I'm hoping they stay at bay this year as we are heading up in August. Really stressful imagining having to pick an unfamiliar EP and plan a route on the fly like that. What did you end up doing? Did you pick a different EP, or did you scrap the trip altogether?

Deeznuts: "I was lucky enough that we got in the LLC area in June of 2021, just a week or two before the fire. Otherwise, our trip would have been ruined too. I'm hoping they stay at bay this year as we are heading up in August. Really stressful imagining having to pick an unfamiliar EP and plan a route on the fly like that. What did you end up doing? Did you pick a different EP, or did you scrap the trip altogether?"

We hadn't settled on Quetico for sure, and still have yet to do our first trip. There are several more extra steps and we're trying to see as much of the BWCA as possible - at least I am. I'm headed to EP14 in October for a loop through Slim/Gun/Gebe/Hustler/Shell and that's one area I am dearly afraid of burning, so I pushed for it as my group's route this year. I also want to get through the Tuscarora/Little Sag area before that burns/burns again. Maybe I'm unreasonably afraid of fires, but tons of the BWCA has been burned in the last 20 years, and I will be pretty old by the time those areas grow back appreciably.

I'd love to see as much of Quetico before it burns as well but there is even more ground to cover it seems, and tough to cover a lot of it in just 7-10 days. I think my first Quetico trip may be the Falls Chain just because it's iconic and I feel like you have to do it at some point if you go to Quetico. But, there are a few other routes I've plotted as well... just a question of when, not if!

Great loop choice. Did the same loop in reverse a few years ago. Try to make your way up to takucmich if you have the time, definitely an incredible lake. Little day trip on the soiux Hustler trail is worth the time too, it would be incredible with the fall foliage. We did the section from hustler-pageant. Part of the reason I want to try our plans for this year.
Headed that way again in August myself. We are doing fat-finger- then a day trip into the PMA and making our way out through pageant and the soiux Hustler trail. Ambitious plan but I want to be gutsy while I'm still young.

Quetico is on my list as well. To be honest, a little intimidated by planning a trip there. You really can't go wrong with any area you pick but putting all that money down for a permit, you definitely want to do it right.

I've been fortunate enough not to have been in the BWCA while wildfire smoke was blowing through. I have asthma. Anyone else with asthma experienced smoke in the BWCA? What was it like for you?

I have a 16 day trip starting June 6 and don't want to cancel it, but at the same time I need to give this issue serious consideration on whether to pull the plug.

Next 14 days around Ely and Minnesota temps about 10 degrees above normal and no rain for 14 days at least. Things change fast but getting off to poor start as far as a no-forest fire season and no smoke. Yes, way to early to tel yet.

Kendis: "I've been fortunate enough not to have been in the BWCA while wildfire smoke was blowing through. I have asthma. Anyone else with asthma experienced smoke in the BWCA? What was it like for you?


I have a 16 day trip starting June 6 and don't want to cancel it, but at the same time I need to give this issue serious consideration on whether to pull the plug."

I do not have asthma. But I have some serious allergies. I’ve always carried an inhaler in my pack but never had to use it in the wilderness. I mostly carried it because I was worried about some funky mold. As I am very allergic to mold.

This is the first time I experienced wildfire smoke. I wasn’t in the wilderness but just working and living. The smoke was moderate most days. I was super surprised how much trouble I had! It’s definitely nasty. I had a lot of trouble breathing and pain in my chest. I did use my inhaler one day at work. I thought I was going to have to go to the ED but inhaler worked. It surprised me everyone was bothered to such different levels. Some zero effect; some just coughing; some sick athome.

I feel comfortable as long as I have an inhaler. But, like I said, I’ve never been diagnosed with asthma. I'd definitely come prepared! I would talk to your doctor about your particular case of asthma and risk analysis. I really hate to tell you not to go for something that might happen. I feel like your provider probably can give you the best advice based on your particular case.

Technically Rugged. It has been pretty much smoke free the last 1/2 of the week, I was on Sag the other day and the sky was clear. Hoping that remains the same for your trip.