Heroics playout in the Boundary Waters as members get ready to evacuate

Heroics on the water unfolded in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters as authorities moved to evacuate residents under the threat of at least 15 burning fires in and around the region. With smoke filling the area this week, road closures were reported as part of the response, including near Ely. Bria Schurke said tow boat operators “hit go mode” and reached both friends and strangers in the water, helping people flee campsites that caught fire. She credited the effort with saving lives. The Ely Community Response group worked to match people with needs to volunteers offering help as wildfires surpassed more than 60,000 acres in northern Minnesota. In the city limits, officials emphasized hazardous air; air-quality measurements above 400 were described as dangerous to breathe. St. Louis County deputies had requested fewer than 100 evacuations by Thursday, according to an emergency management coordinator.