Ever wonder about fire grates at campsites in the Boundary Waters? Here’s what to know

While most campsites escaped the worst of the current fires, some fire grates in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness likely are to become minor casualties.
A few, after years of weathering and use, may be crushed by falling trees. Others could crack under the extreme heat of the forest fire, though the grates’ rugged steel construction makes such failures uncommon. Due to the closure of a foundry and U.S. Forest Service staff cuts, replacements for the damaged grates will not be straightforward.