Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
It was a hectic start to the week as Jason Zabokrtsky, owner of Ely Outfitting Company, worked with officials to evacuate 75 of his customers from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as wildfires blazed. Now, everyone is accounted for. But just because things are calmer doesn't mean they're good.
"Now we're starting to process all of our cancellations," Zabokrtsky chuckled while flipping through a folder of papers.
His is one of many businesses missing out on what's usually peak season for outfitters. With no entry into the BWCAW, customers are canceling or rescheduling their excursions en masse. That can lead to real problems for seasonal businesses.
MPR News correspondent Dan Kraker spoke with Zabokrtsky and fellow outfitter Ginny Nelson, with Spirit of the Wilderness Canoe Outfitters, about how the fires have affected them and how they're staying optimistic.
Story by Dan Kraker
Video capture by Chuck Olson for MPR News
Video edited by Payton Whaley
It was a hectic start to the week as Jason Zabokrtsky, owner of Ely Outfitting Company, worked with officials to evacuate 75 of his customers from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as wildfires blazed. Now, everyone is accounted for. But just because things are calmer doesn't mean they're good.
"Now we're starting to process all of our cancellations," Zabokrtsky chuckled while flipping through a folder of papers.
His is one of many businesses missing out on what's usually peak season for outfitters. With no entry into the BWCAW, customers are canceling or rescheduling their excursions en masse. That can lead to real problems for seasonal businesses.
MPR News correspondent Dan Kraker spoke with Zabokrtsky and fellow outfitter Ginny Nelson, with Spirit of the Wilderness Canoe Outfitters, about how the fires have affected them and how they're staying optimistic.
Story by Dan Kraker
Video capture by Chuck Olson for MPR News
Video edited by Payton Whaley
