Fire danger high in Upper Peninsula

Persistently dry, windy conditions over the last few days have left much of Chippewa and Mackinac counties vulnerable to wildfires.

“The eastern end of the Upper Peninsula is the only part of the state with a high fire danger level today,” Patrick Hallfrisch of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources tells SooToday.com News.

Based in the Michigan Soo, Hallfrisch is a unit fire manager responsible for the two local counties.

“At this time, there are no fires that I know of,” he said. “So far this spring, there have been several fires but they’ve all been relatively small.”

It's a far different story in the Western Upper Peninsula.

As of this morning, the Black River Falls Fire in Marquette County covered 777 acres and was 65 percent contained.

About 500 residents have been evacuated, but no injuries or deaths have resulted.

So far, flames have destroyed 33 structures.

Elsewhere, over 60 firefighters are battling the Pinery Lake Fire in Baraga County.

The latest reports indicate that 480-acre forest fire has not yet been surrounded. Overnight rain has helped somewhat.

Hallfrisch said firefighters from the Michigan Soo had been sent to provide assistance.

In turn, equipment and personnel from downstate are travelling to the Eastern Upper Peninsula to reinforce the local unit's depleted ranks.