justnorth posted on November 15, 2007 07:25 :: 1653 Views
An active wildfire season that saw more than 20,000 acres burn in Michigan is now winding down, said Department of Natural Resources officials. The DNR logged 395 wildland fires this season that burned 20,881 acres -- including the largest wildfire in Michigan since 1980, the Sleeper Lake Fire in Luce County in the Upper Peninsula.
"This has been one of the more memorable wildfire seasons in recent history in our state," said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. "Several landmark events took place including the largest wildland fire in our state since 1980 and a prohibition on open burning by the governor to reduce risk during persistent drought conditions this summer."
Luce County's 18,185-acre Sleeper Lake Fire began with a lightning strike on Aug. 2 and spread rapidly resulting in evacuations and mobilization of firefighting resources from across Michigan and the eastern United States. At its peak, there were 340 people assigned from the DNR and other agencies to fight the blaze in a swampy, remote area of Luce County seven miles north of the town of Newberry. Agencies responding to the fire included several Michigan agencies led by the DNR, Michigan National Guard, natural resource agencies from several states (including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Connecticut and Illinois), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy, Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of Corrections, Eastern U.P. Search and Rescue, several Luce County agencies, 21 volunteer fire departments, National Weather Service, Salvation Army and the Red Cross. Air suppression resources included six Camp Grayling National Guard helicopters with buckets, one U.S. Forest Service helicopter with a bucket, two water scooping air tankers from Minnesota and one helicopter outfitted for aerial ignition from Ontario. Along with the Michigan DNR firefighting equipment and the air support, Wisconsin and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also brought in some specialized water units. The total cost for suppressing the Sleeper Lake Fire was estimated at $7.5 million.
The Michigan DNR responded to an additional 394 wildfires this past year that burned 2,696 acres. This compares to 375 fires the DNR responded to that burned 1,446 acres in 2006. People caused 91 percent of the 2007 fires -- with the exception of the Sleeper Lake Fire -- and most could have been prevented by taking proper precautionary measures, said Paul Kollmeyer, DNR fire prevention specialist.
"When you consider the price tag for combating a fire, preventing them is far safer, cheaper and easier than fighting them," Kollmeyer said. "Everyone can help reduce costs for local, state and federal units of government by simply being more cautious with fire."
Persistent drought conditions throughout the state along with numerous resources being committed to the Sleeper Lake Fire created a threat that other fires could become large and complex as well. Governor Jennifer M. Granholm responded to this threat by issuing a proclamation to prohibit outdoor fires and smoking in forested areas. Her actions, combined with a media campaign regarding safe burning and restrictions on burn permits during hazardous times of the season, helped to greatly reduce the number of negligently caused fires, DNR fire officials said.
Kollmeyer added that the threat of fire remains present in November because of mostly mild, dry weather conditions and yard clean-up activities that occur this time of year, such as burning leaves and brush.
"Michigan residents are reminded that they need to check with local officials or obtain a burn permit in order to burn outdoors legally," Kollmeyer said. "In southern Michigan, residents should contact their local fire official or township office for regulations on burning. In northern Michigan, residents should log on to the DNR's Web site at www.michigan.gov/burnpermit or call (866) 922-BURN to get a burning permit before they do any outdoor burning."
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