Wildfire burning on Isle Royale

ISLE ROYAL, Mich. (AP) — A wildfire that’s burned about 200 acres on Michigan’s remote Isle Royale has prompted the National Park Service to close some trails and campground areas on the wilderness island.

The park service said Sunday on the Isle Royale National Park’s Facebook page that the closures were necessary “to maintain public health and safety” after the fire on the Lake Superior island’s east end expanded over the weekend amid lingering drought conditions. “Closed areas will be signed where possible and monitored to ensure compliance,” park staff said in the post.

The so-called Horne Fire was burning so intensely over the weekend on the island that it could be picked up by satellites, the National Weather Service in Marquette said. Planes were being used to ferry water over the fire in the hopes of extinguishing some of it.

Several trails and campgrounds on Isle Royale National Park are closed because of a fire on the island’s east end.

Closed areas effective immediately:

• Lane Cove Trail and Campground
• Greenstone Ridge Trail East of Mount Franklin Junction
• Mount Franklin Trail between the Greenstone Ridge Trail and the Tobin Harbor Trail (the 1/2 mile section of the Mount Franklin Trail between the Tobin Harbor Trail and Rock Harbor Trail will remain open as conditions allow)
• Duncan Bay Campground and Dock
• Duncan Bay/Tobin Harbor Portage Trail
• Duncan Narrows Campground and Dock
• Tobin Harbor Dock (with the exception of the seaplane dock for the concessions seaplane operation as conditions allow)
• Hidden Lake Dock
• Hidden Lake Trail and Lookout Louise
• Merritt Lane Campground and Dock
• Stoll Trial and Scoville Point
• Cross-Country Camping Zones 8, 9, 10, 11, 34, 35, 36 are closed for camping as well as cross-country day use
• Other areas if directed by fire personnel

The fire status will be continually evaluated as conditions change. These closures will remain in place until rescinded.about:blank