First set aside as part of the Superior National Forest in 1909, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area represents one of America's greatest conservation achievements. Among the first natural areas designated under the 1964 Wilderness Act, its safeguards were strengthened even further by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act in 1978. Today it preserves more than one million acres of interconnected lakes, forests, and rivers for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.

And now, the largest national recreation preserve in America is on fire. A series of wildfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area around the town of Ely, Minnesota, has devastated thousands of acres at the height of summer tourist season. My friend and colleague Stephanie Pearson shared her personal account of this horrific event in an essay for Outside Magazine. And this morning at home in Madison I awoke to the smell of smoke. Even here, more than 360 miles away from the Boundary Waters, we are directly experiencing the critical impacts of this disaster. It is only through our awareness and understanding of the circumstances that we can manage this crisis and take corrective actions to mitigate their long-term effects.

What started the fires?

The outbreak began after a series of dry thunderstorms crossed northeastern Minnesota during the first week of July. Lightning ignited numerous fires across the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters region. The most significant, known as the Camp Fire, was first reported on July 7 about eight miles northeast of the Cloquet Line near Ely. It initially covered only 1.6 acres and was believed to be contained before extreme heat, drought, low humidity, and strong winds caused it to reawaken and spread explosively.

How large is the fire?

This is no longer a single wildfire. By mid-July, 17 active wildfires were burning across the Superior National Forest. The Camp Fire alone expanded from less than two acres to roughly 2,200 acres in just days. The nearby Sioux Fire had grown to more than 3,500 acres, while additional fires were burning both inside and outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Collectively, tens of thousands of acres are affected across northeastern Minnesota, with some fires crossing toward the Canadian border.

Why is this fire so difficult to control?

Several factors have come together, including:

Record-setting heat approaching 96°F in Ely.

Extremely dry vegetation after weeks of limited rainfall.

Low relative humidity.

Gusty, shifting winds that pushed flames several miles in a matter of hours.

The Boundary Waters’ roadless wilderness, where firefighters often must travel by canoe, helicopter, or on foot because heavy equipment cannot be used in designated wilderness.

What’s happening in Ely?

Ely has become the center of the emergency. Officials ordered evacuations along the Fernberg Corridor and portions of the Echo Trail as fires threatened homes. Hundreds of canoeists were evacuated from the Boundary Waters after the Forest Service closed the wilderness — only the second full closure in roughly 50 years. Outfitters, lodges, restaurants, and guides are experiencing widespread cancellations during what are normally the busiest weeks of the tourism season.

Local schools and community facilities have been converted into temporary shelters. Hotels that would normally house vacationers are instead accommodating evacuated residents and emergency personnel.

What are residents experiencing?

Residents describe hazardous smoke conditions, uncertainty, and exhaustion. Air quality in Ely reached hazardous levels, with ash falling in some communities. Firefighters from across the country have arrived to assist local crews. Many residents have opened their homes, churches, and businesses to evacuees, while local organizations coordinate donations of food, supplies, and temporary housing.

Why should people outside Minnesota care?

The smoke is a reminder that wildfire is no longer just a regional problem. Upper-level winds carried smoke more than 350 miles, degrading air quality across Wisconsin — including Madison — and farther into the Midwest. The same fire threatening wilderness campsites and homes in northern Minnesota is affecting the health of people hundreds of miles away.

It is critically important to remember — the Boundary Waters is one of America’s largest intact freshwater wilderness ecosystems. This isn’t simply a forest fire in a remote place. It’s an event affecting more than 1 million acres of federally protected wilderness, the communities that steward it, and millions of people who rely on its clean water, recreation, and ecological resilience. Even after the flames are extinguished, recovery will take years.

What Can We Do?

Here are actions that are concrete, achievable, and connected to the Boundary Waters:

Support the firefighters. Thank the U.S. Forest Service’s wildland firefighters, pilots, and incident management teams risking their lives. Donate to organizations that support wildland firefighters and their families.

Practice wildfire prevention. Whether you’re camping in the Boundary Waters or your local park, follow fire restrictions, drown campfires completely, and report unattended fires immediately.

Support Boundary Waters conservation. Join or donate to organizations working to protect the watershed from long-term threats like sulfide-ore copper mining, which could make the ecosystem even more vulnerable after fire.

Volunteer for restoration. When the fire is over, forests will recover naturally, but nearby communities and public lands will need volunteers for trail work, invasive species removal, and ecological monitoring.

Contact your elected officials. Encourage continued funding for the U.S. Forest Service, prescribed fire programs, climate resilience, and wilderness stewardship.

Reduce your own wildfire risk. If you own property, create defensible space, remove flammable vegetation, and follow Firewise practices. Wildfire is a national issue, not just a western one.

Visit the Boundary Waters responsibly. When the wilderness reopens, don’t stay away. Tourism helps outfitters and gateway communities recover economically.

Learn the role of fire. While this fire is devastating, fire is also part of the boreal forest’s natural cycle. Understanding that complexity helps people support science-based management instead of reacting out of fear alone.

Support local businesses. Outfitters, guides, restaurants, and lodges around Ely often suffer economically during major fires. Purchasing gear, booking future trips, or buying gift certificates can help sustain the community.

Tell the story. Share credible reporting like Stephanie Pearson’s article. Help people understand that wilderness isn’t an abstract idea — it’s a living place that requires informed public support.

The Boundary Waters is one of America’s greatest wilderness treasures — and it needs our help. Learn what’s at stake, support the people protecting this extraordinary landscape, and take action to preserve its clean water, wildlife, and wild character for generations to come.

Join the movement. Save the Boundary Waters.

This column was originally published by the author in his newsletter, The Joy Trip Project. 

James Edwards Mills is a freelance journalist, independent media producer, and National Geographic Explorer specializing in stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. He is the author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors and the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film An American Ascent.