DNR urges caution as wildfire season returns to Michigan

Author's Note: Similar to an earlier post from the Ohio DNR, this release from the Michigan DNR regarding wildfire precautions is applicable to everyone. The above video, from The Oakland Press (my employer), is of a brush fire earlier this month that closed down the Great Lakes Crossing Outlet Center shopping mall in Auburn Hills.

Firefighters at the scene of a brush fire near the Great Lakes Crossing
Outlet Center in Auburn Hills, MI. The fire caused the shopping mall to
close temporarily while firefighters fought the blaze. (Oakland Press)

Wildfire season has returned to areas of Michigan where winter snow has melted. A recent handful of warm, windy days has contributed to wildfires in southern and central portions of the state. Department of Natural Resources officials urge residents and visitors to use extreme caution before engaging in outdoor activities with the potential for wildfire.

“Several winter storms have created a tremendous clean-up task in many areas,” said Bill O’Neill, the DNR’s acting Forest Resources Division chief and state forester. “We are urging people to consider fire-safe alternatives, such as chipping instead of burning the debris. Chipping eliminates the risk of wildfire altogether and it reduces exposure to unhealthy smoke. An added bonus, the wood chips can be used as mulch for landscaping around your home.”

For those who do expect to burn yard waste, the DNR asks that you plan carefully and follow the following fire-safe tips:

• Check first with local fire official to be certain burning is not prohibited where you live.
• Choose a day that is cool and damp to conduct your burn. The likelihood an ember will escape from a burn pile and ignite a wildfire drastically increases on warm, windy days. 
• Arrange small mounds of debris in spots cleared of flammable vegetation or adjacent to any remaining snow, which will further reduce the chances of a wildfire igniting. 

“Springtime is Michigan’s busiest time of year for wildfires. With a little planning and careful attention to outdoor surroundings, residents can play a huge role in helping us reduce the number of wildfires,” said O’Neill. “It’s all about keeping our people, property and natural resources safe from fire’s devastating effects.”

Burn permits are required anytime the ground is not snow-covered. In the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula, residents can obtain a free burn permit online at www.michigan.gov/burnpermit. Persons without Internet access may call toll-free at 866-922-2876. In southern Michigan, burn permits and information on burning can be obtained from local fire departments and township offices. For more information on wildfire safety, open burning, home preparedness and other fire-related topics, visit www.michigan.gov/preventwildfires.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/dnr.