People of Newberry line streets to cheer on firefighters

NEWS RELEASE

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

************************* Sleeper Lake Fire media information

Late last night, as the firefighters returned from their tasks, they were greeted by hundreds of Newberry residents and visitors.

These people lined the streets of Newberry, honking their horns, waving their hands, showing their appreciation for all the firefighters' efforts.

The support of the community is greatly appreciated.

Firefighters will continue to place a perimeter around the Sleeper Lake Fire today.

Currently, the dozer line is constructed around approximately 70 percent of the fire perimeter.

The fire is considered 25 percent contained.

New resources continue to arrive to provide additional staffing and rest time for fire personnel.

A 20-person hand crew is expected to arrive today.

A heli-torch crew with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources out of St. Frances, Ontario is also on scene to assist with potential burning operations.

County Road 407 remains closed to through traffic from Halfway Lake to Pine Stump Junction, and evacuation orders remain in effect.

The following State Forest campgrounds remain closed: Perch Lake, Headquarters Lake, High Bridge, Pretty Lake, and Holland Lake. No other campgrounds in this vicinity have been closed.

M-123 is open, but a 25-mile-an-hour speed limit has been established in the vicinity of the fire.

Motorists are advised that construction is also occurring on M-123.

SIZE: Last estimate was 18,158 acres. Containment is currently estimated at 25 percent.

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: 220 people, including Michigan DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Michigan National Guard, The Nature Conservancy, Wisconsin DNR, Michigan State Police, Luce County Sheriff's Department, National Weather Service, numerous Volunteer Fire Departments, Salvation Army, American Red Cross and keymen firefighters working for Michigan DNR.

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

WEATHER: Sunny and 80 with variable winds less then five miles per hour in the morning becoming northwest seven to 12 miles an hour in the afternoon. Dry weather is expected to continue through Saturday.

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

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