Camp owners allowed to return to Sleeper Lake

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

************************* 9 p.m. Saturday update

Statewide Toll Free Information 1-877-261-3473

County Road 407 will be opened tonight at approximately 9 p.m.

There will be a strictly enforced 45 mile-an-hour speed limit.

The fire is still active and travelers on County Road 407 will encounter large equipment, especially between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Please remember the 45 miles-an-hour speed limit and drive with your lights on.

Those with cabins and camps in the area will be allowed to return to check on properties, but are strongly advised to not remain overnight until further notice.

We request that residents returning to their homes remove ribbons from their 911 signs and leave a porch or outside light on at all times when staying in the area.

These precautions will greatly assist emergency personnel in the event of another evacuation.

County Roads 414 to 410 will remain closed and manned barricades will be in place.

M-123 remains at a 25 mile-an-hour speed limit and all evacuations in the Chesbrough Lake and Widgeon Road areas remain in effect.

The rains that were expected this afternoon never came.

There is still a potential for rain tomorrow, however it may come with lightning strikes.

We anticipate increased fire behavior tomorrow if we don’t receive the forecasted rains.

Tomorrow’s winds will be out of the northwest with potential gusts over 30 miles per hour in the afternoon.

The American Red Cross will be closing their shelter by 8 a.m. on Monday August 13.

The shelter and American Red Cross staff will be relocating to the training center at the correctional facility in Newberry.

The Sleeper Lake Fire organization continues to be humbled by all of the support, both locally and statewide.

While we greatly appreciate the continued donations, our storage space is extremely limited.

The Incident Command Team requests that organizations and individuals who are interested in continuing to express support for the firefighters consider a monetary donation to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

SIZE: Estimated at 18,387 acres. 50 percent contained.

LOCATION: Luce County, north of the Village of Newberry. The south line is a dozer line between M-123 and County Road 407, northern line is east of Pine Stump Junction, the east line runs along a portion of M-123 and the west line runs parallel to County Road 407.

RESOURCES: We have over 220 fire personnel and numerous cooperating agencies on this fire including: Michigan DNR, Minnesota DNR, Wisconsin DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Michigan National Guard, Michigan State Police, Luce County Sheriff’s Department, National Weather Service, Nature Conservancy, numerous volunteer fire departments, Salvation Army, American Red Cross and keymen firefighters working for Michigan DNR.

AIR SUPPORT: Four Blackhawk helicopters and one Chinook helicopter from the National Guard in Camp Grayling are assisting as well as Michigan DNR detection aircraft and a heli-torch from Ontario, Canada.

WEATHER: The forecast for Sunday calls for lower temperatures and humidity. The temperature is expected to reach 76 degrees. Winds are expected to be stronger and out of the northwest with gusts to 30 miles an hour in the afternoon.

A statewide tollfree phone line is available with regularly updated information. That number is 877-261-3473.

************************* (EDITOR'S NOTE: Fire-line photo by DNR keyman Brad Newhouse.)