Forest fires may look like disasters: what once was a green boreal forest appears a charred and lunar landscape, but the truth is that fire is as natural to the northern forest as rainfall in the spring and snowflakes in the winter. Forest fires aid in germination, manage insect populations, fuel nutrient cycles and play a vital role maintaining healthy forests. Gain a deeper understanding of fire ecology on the north shore and BWCAW as you head into the field with Patty Johnson, Fire Management Officer with the US Forest Service. The day will start in the classroom with a series of photos and maps of recent burns as well as a discussion of how fire is used as a management tool. Students will then carpool to hike to spectacular Magnetic Rock and other burned areas in various stages of re-growth up the Gunflint Trail. Learn to look deeper than the headlines and understand how fire is part of the natural cycle of the boreal forest.