Favorable weather helping crews battling wildfire in Superior National Forest

Crews continued working Friday to fully contain a wildfire burning in the Superior National Forest in northeast Minnesota.

Favorable weather conditions were helping crews battle the Fry Fire, which started Wednesday just north of Minnesota Highway 1, about four miles northwest of Isabella.

It was a “spot fire” that started near a planned, prescribed burn that was underway. The spot fire was in an area of denser dead and downed timber, and was declared a wildfire when additional firefighting resources needed to be brought in.

As of Friday afternoon’s update, the fire was estimated at 209 acres — unchanged from Thursday evening — with an additional 56 acres burned by the planned fire.

The fire was 75 percent contained, also unchanged from Thursday evening.

Crews “have continued to mop up hot spots while improving and strengthening the control lines working towards containment. Fire activity is reported as minimal with only a few areas of creeping and smoldering. Minimal smoke is coming from the fire area. There continues to be no immediate threat to private property or structures,” Superior National Forest officials reported Friday afternoon.

“Weather conditions are forecasted to help the firefighting efforts with cool temperatures, cloud cover and high humidity levels. Fire activity is expected to remain minimal throughout the day.”

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