Smoke keeps visitors away as Ely cancels Blueberry Arts Festival; economic toll mounts

One week after authorities closed and evacuated the entire Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Superior National Forest, roughly 68,000 acres had burned on the U.S. side of the border — comparable in size to the 2007 Ham Lake Fire.

The economic toll has continued to mount, most notably in Ely, where outfitting and cabin rentals have ground to a halt and the city canceled its marquee event, the annual Blueberry Arts Festival. Tourism leaders report that some visitors have begun canceling trips even to areas that aren't directly threatened, such as the North Shore and the Gunflint Trail.

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