Northern Minnesota: 20th century had few, smaller fires as the climate allegedly warmed and became wetter

From fire: BWCA forest of the future | StarTribune.com

The 20th century saw fewer, smaller fires than the ones that raged through the Boundary Waters in the 1800s and routinely blackened 300 to 800 square miles, he said. In the past 100 years, the climate has become wetter and more humid, and as the population grew, fires in the region were suppressed because of the risk to life and property.

But now, Frelich said, weather patterns are marked by extremes -- flooding and torrential rain on the one hand and drought on the other. The fire in the BWCA has spread with breathtaking speed because the conditions are so dry.

"A warming climate is more conducive to more fires," he said.