ATIKOKAN, Ont. — The ban on travel in the interior of Quetico Provincial Park will stay in place for another 10 days, and possibly longer.
The Quetico backcountry was closed to all canoeists and campers on Aug. 17, when nine fires were burning.
Park wardens, conservation officers and Aviation, Forest Fires and Emergency Services personnel using boats and aircraft tracked down about 50 groups that were in the interior at the time to tell them they had to leave for their own safety.
Quetico Superintendent Trevor Gibb says the number of fires has since been reduced to five, but that's because several fires have merged.
In an interview Wednesday with TBNewswatch, Gibb said an area in the southwest portion of the park has actually been closed "for a good chunk of the summer" because of fires and the ongoing drought.
"Throughout the summer things have progressively gotten drier. We got to the point where we had to take the precaution of closing the backcountry. It's a big place, and it can take people a long time to get out of the park if things change. So we had to do it," he said.
Only the main Dawson Trail campground at the eastern end of the park near Highway 11 remains open to the public.
Although the public notice currently states that the backcountry is closed through Sept. 4, Gibb said "We're only going to reopen [it] once we are satisfied that it's safe to let people back in. We're not sure. It's environmental conditions, weather, things like that" which will determine what happens.
Just across the international border, the U.S. Forest Service has also closed the entire Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to visitors until at least Sept. 3, because of ongoing wildfires.
Isle Royale National Park works to protect historic structures from a forest fire
Fifty kilometres south of Thunder Bay, work continues on a 200-acre fire that ignited on Aug. 10 at the northeastern end of Isle Royale National Park.
A news release Tuesday stated that fire was 15 per cent contained.
Numerous trails, campgrounds and docks are closed until further notice.
Staff from the U.S. National Park service, Hiawatha National Forest and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior have responded to the fire.
Their work includes patrols in Tobin Harbor to protect historic structures.
Air tankers conducted water-drops on hot spots earlier this week.
