A wildfire in a state forest broke out near Houghton Lake on Sunday morning, with firefighters still working to contain the flames as of Monday afternoon.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the fire is around 95 acres and moving between dry hardwood, mixed pine, and marshland. The source of the fire is currently unknown and under investigation.
Jeff Vasher, resource protection manager for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, says the fire is currently 75% contained with hopes to get it fully contained by the end of the day, weather permitting.
"We haven't had rain probably three weeks. So it's very dry too. The marsh should have water in it, it doesn't, it's very dry. And that's where it's really active burning is across that," Vasher said.
NOAA drought maps show the Roscommon and Clare County regions to be in moderate to severe drought conditions as of the lastest update. Conditions are measured by rainfall amounts compared to historical records in the same area.
"It doesn't look like we're going to get a lot of rain, maybe a quarter inch, if that," Vasher said. "We need a good two to three days of rain, steady rain to help us. So if the rain does come, we'll probably set us back a day or two, but then we'll be right back into it for the weekend."
The state has placed a pause on burn permits for the duration of these drought-like conditions, but hasn't placed a ban on burning overall.
"If you're going to have a campfire, make sure you have water nearby and a hand tool that you can rake the grass away if a fire starts to get out. Just make sure your fires completely out at night," said DNR Fire Specialist Paul Rogers.
Rogers said 85% of Michigan's wildfires start as burning human debris. The DNR recommends people to avoid burning anything until the state is no longer in drought conditions.
"Winds can pick up during the night. We have a cold front coming in which is going to kick the winds up. So make sure your fires are completely drowned and that they're good and cold before you go to bed at night," Rogers said.
We note the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is a financial supporter of WCMU. We report on them as we do any other organization.
