DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay spoke to Northern News Now LIVE on air Monday evening about the wildfires raging through the Boundary Waters.

Ramsay spoke about the wildfire that grew rapidly Monday afternoon, prompting the “GO Alert” for part of Lake County. The alert affects those north of Fall and Cedar Lakes just north of Ely and Winton. The Camp Fire has jumped its containment area and is growing rapidly.

A “GO” alert is the highest level of an evacuation framework (Ready, Set, GO) activated by local authorities for areas near the BWCAW. It means danger to your area is imminent, and you must evacuate immediately.

According to Sheriff Ramsay, 17 people had to be airlifted out of the Boundary Waters since the wildfires began, and it could take until winter to fully contain all fires.

Currently Superior National Forest rangers are working to make contact with near two thousand campers inside the Boundary Waters ahead of its closure at midnight.

Source: https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2026/07/13/sheriff-ramsay-17-air-rescued-out-boundary-waters-due-wildfires/