Beltrami Co. Sheriff implements restrictions to Upper Red Lake after multiple rescues

BELTRAMI COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - After several days of rain and warmer weather, ice conditions on Upper Red Lake have seriously deteriorated. On Saturday, the Beltrami County Sheriff decided to step in.

"This is a decision that was not taken very lightly," Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs said. "This has the implications of affecting businesses that live on this."

As of sunset on Saturday, all vehicles are barred from driving on Upper Red Lake. The move comes after a scare on Friday night.

Around 5 p.m., 122 people had to be rescued from a floating chunk of ice that broke off from the rest of Upper Red Lake’s ice in Beltrami County. No one was hurt in the incident, but the rescue took two and a half hours, and it marked the fifth ice rescue in just a couple of weeks. Now, the sheriff says snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and all motorized vehicles are all banned from the ice.

Violators face a misdemeanor charge. However, the sheriff acknowledges even this rare move will not be enough. "The bandwidth for us to go out and enforce this is going to be difficult," Riggs said. "We’re looking for the public’s assistance to comply with this. The resort owners are on board."

The sheriff hopes to be able to lift the restrictions by next weekend, as lower temperatures move in after Wednesday.

In the meantime, on the east side of Upper Red Lake, West Wind Resort owner Kevin Waldo understands the decision, even if it impacts his business. "It’s definitely going to effect us. We have reservations, we have people that are coming up here planning to go out in portables and things like that, and they’re probably not going to be able to now," Waldo said. "Unless they’re going to walk and pull them out."

Waldo is also a member of the Kelliher Fire Department, which assisted in Friday’s rescue. The firefighter blames strong winds that are testing cracks in the ice on a lake that has yet to lock in place.

"We’re probably going to lose some customers, but we do understand the safety aspect of it. We want everyone to be safe out there," Waldo finished.