A wildfire now covering 180 acres broke out Sunday night, May 10, in Presque Isle County, south of Onaway, and remained only a little more than half contained as of Monday morning, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.
“Firefighters have achieved approximately 60% containment as suppression efforts continue throughout the night (May 10) and into Monday (May 11),” the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said in a release.
The blaze is located near the popular fishing and hunting destination, Tomahawk Creek Flooding State Forest Campground. There were no reports of evacuations, damaged structures, or injuries, according to the release, however, one vehicle was burned. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
“The fire is burning in jack pine, hardwood and a blueberry bog,” DNR Incident Management Team Public Information Officer Laurie Abel said.
Traffic restrictions will remain in place on Spring Lake, Anderson and Millersburg roads as firefighters fight the fire.
On Sunday night, May 10, the crew used four Air Boss water-scooping planes, an Air Attack plane, and a DNR fire detection aircraft.
Aerial image of the wildfire in Presque Isle County on Sunday night, May 10.
The fire is the second major blaze in northern Michigan. From May 4-7 the Mapes wildfire that burned about 124 acres in Oscoda County, destroying a cabin and house, and prompting an evacuation on May 4.
The cause of the wildfire was believed to be a power line that arced, according to U.S. Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forest District Ranger Greyling Brandt, but the cause remains under investigation.
Here’s more on wildfire season in Michigan:
What is the current wildfire danger in Michigan?
As of May 11, the Mesowest Great Lakes Fire and Fuels map shows nearly all of Michigan is under high or very high fire risk. Only two areas in the eastern Upper Peninsula and the tip of Michigan’s Thumb were at the lower medium risk.
The map provides updated information about Michigan wildfire risk statewide each day.
How can I find out if there is a wildfire nearby?
There are several online resources available amid Michigan’s wildfire season, including:
Does Michigan typically see wildfires this time of year?
Yes. Wildfire season for Michigan occurs mainly in the spring from April-June, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association. Michigan firefighters respond to 10,000-12,000 wildfires each year of varying sizes.
In May 2012, a lightning strike caused fire to spread and burn near Newberry in the central U.P., known as the Duck Lake Fire. The blaze burned 22,000 acres of land and 136 structures were lost — one of the largest wildfires in the state in the 2000s.
What causes wildfires in Michigan?
A combination of low humidity, heat and windy conditions create high risk for fire to easily catch.
Under such conditions, “the main cause (47%) of wildfires in Michigan is burning yard debris, such as grass clippings, leaves, and trash,” according to Michigan Prepares.
What does wildfire fuel mean?
Wildfire fuel is a broad term to describe the vegetation, sticks, trees, grass, soils and more that allows a wildfire to keep burning.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Firefighters battle wildfire south of Onaway. How much is contained