Just got back from 26 days in WCPP and included the Irvine Lake Loop. Not the bushwack route you took Jimbo, but had a similar situation with blowdown on some portages. The fire had it's effects, but nothing like the blowdown effects like on the portage out of what I think Marten calls Salamander Lake going towards Irvine. the blowdown was incredibly hard to get through or around. The second portage out of Irvine going the direction you went Jimbo, was burned over pretty good. There was still a fire hose left behind by the firefighters. Rain was the theme on our trip once we hit Irvine. Downpours of great amounts of rain brought the streams we crossed to raging rivers. I paddled my Encounter solo with my 80# chessy. Many miles paddled and fish caught and ate. All in all a good trip with it's own challenges. Met Howard Holtman, or whatever his name is that Martin talked about in his stories. They came in during a pretty good rain.