“Things are heating up and drying out” across the Upper Peninsula, boosting fire danger to “very high” levels, Ann Wilson of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) told The St. Ignace News Monday, April 18. With fire danger extremely high across northern Michigan due to warm, dry weather, a ban has been set on all outdoor burning. No burning permits will be issued until the area receives significant precipitation, DNR announced Monday, April 18.

Across the Upper Peninsula, DNR fire crews suppressed 16 fires during the week of April 12, burning 53.4 acres and bringing the total U.P. wildfires this season to 29. DNR fire crews across the state responded to 109 wildfires during the week of April 12 that burned more than 2,162 acres. The largest fire was a 1,557-acre blaze that began south of Prudenville in Roscommon County, where crews remain on the scene to control stubborn hot spots.

Fire Crews Conduct

Prescribed Burns

Fire crews have conducted prescribed burns in open fields within St. Ignace city limits, reported Fire Department Chief John “Bucky” Robinson, in an effort to burn off dry grass under controlled conditions.

“We would rather burn it under controlled conditions while we are standing by, before it burns on its own,” he said.

Burns were conducted in the city Thursday, April 14, and Friday, April 15, he said. Any open fields within the city limits may be burned in the project, he said.

DNR fire crews burned a field in Hendricks Township to eradicate invasive garlic mustard plants Tuesday, April 12, one day before the DNR burning ban began, Ms. Wilson reported.

“It was a prescribed burn with a perimeter set up, and crews checked the site for the next two days and reported no problems,” she said of the Hendricks Township fire. “With the ban, though, we will not do any more burning.”

When conditions improve, residents who wish to burn grass or leaves must apply for permits to do so. City of St. Ignace residents may apply for burn permits at City Hall, while township residents may apply at DNR or United States Forest Service Offices.