Although many parts of the Upper Peninsula remain snow-covered, and weekend rain soaked a lot of the state, the Department of Natural Resources today announced that firefighters from numerous fire departments, including the Michigan DNR, have been responding to multiple wildfires in the Lower Peninsula. With conditions being right for wildfires, the DNR urges the public to keep prevention and safety in mind, especially when doing spring cleanup.
digital Smokey Bear sign“Fire season is under way in the Lower Peninsula and will be coming to the Upper Peninsula soon,” said Paul Kollmeyer, resource protection manager within the DNR’s Forest Resources Division. “Where outdoor burning is permitted, we are reminding residents to stay informed of current conditions before they head out to burn their yard debris.
“The time frame between snow melting and green-up is dangerous because brown grass, leaves and dead tree limbs from winter are dry, brittle and highly flammable.”
The unsafe burning of leaves, brush and other debris is a main cause of wildfires in Michigan.
A person is required to get a burn permit prior to burning brush and debris in Michigan. Residents in the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula can obtain a free burn permit by visiting www.michigan.gov/burnpermit or by calling 866-922-2876. Residents in southern Michigan should contact their local fire department or township office to see if burning is permitted in their area.
The DNR reminds people to do the following prior to burning yard debris:
- Obtain a burn permit;
- Choose a day that is cool and damp with little wind;
- Burn in small mounds placed in areas that are clear of vegetation;
- Keep water close by;
- Supervise fires at all times; and
Always extinguish flames, coals and embers properly. Remember, embers can stay hot for days.
To help the public stay aware of current fire-danger levels this wildfire season, the DNR, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Transportation, has constructed new, digitized Smokey Bear signs in high-traffic areas. The signs are located on northbound U.S. 131 at the Cadillac rest area and northbound I-75 just across the Mackinac Bridge at the St. Ignace welcome center. Existing electronic Smokey Bear signs can be seen by travelers on northbound U.S. 127 at the Clare rest area and in front of the DNR operations service center on M-28 and U.S. 41 in Marquette.
For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/preventwildfires.
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