Flames and thick, gray smoke from the Black River Fire fill the landscape Saturday.
Like most things, wildfires don’t always look like they do in the movies. Even at hundreds of acres each (just over 1,400 acres combined), the three fires that make up the Rugged Terrain Complex aren’t currently burning through the trees of the Upper Peninsula forests. They are burning up to 2 feet down in the duff, a layer of organic material lying under freshly fallen leaves and twigs and above the bare mineral soil.
“Even with the accumulation of rain over the past couple of days, it won’t make up for the several months there has been a moisture deficit and severe drought in the U.P.,” said Nate Stearns, Rugged Terrain Complex incident commander with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “Drought conditions in the U.P. range from severe to exceptional. We were hitting levels that we haven’t seen in 20 or 30 years, and they made conditions perfect for wildfires.”
The rain alone will not extinguish fires that are burning so deep in the duff layer. DNR firefighters are using leaf blowers, hand tools, water pumps and larger equipment such as tractor plows and dozers in their suppression efforts. The priority is to establish containment lines that are scraped down to the bare mineral soil to prevent the fire from spreading.
Ridge Fire
The Ridge Fire is now estimated to be 466 acres and 40% contained.
The Ridge Fire is located 10 miles northwest of Marquette and north of the Dead River Basin and west of County Road 510. It was spotted by a DNR pilot Oct. 9; the cause of that fire remains under investigation.
The status of the “Ready, Set, Go!” protocol for residents along North Basin Drive remains at a “Ready” status. Residents are encouraged to continue to be prepared in case conditions change. The Noquemanon Trail system west of the trailhead on County Road 510 remains closed.
Craig Lake Fire
The Craig Lake Fire, which is located at the north end of Craig Lake State Park and does encompass some of the northern reaches of the park, is estimated at 606 acres and is now 90% contained. The fire, caused by a lightning strike, was detected by a DNR pilot Oct. 8.
To ensure the safety of Craig Lake State Park visitors, and due to ongoing wildfire suppression efforts, the DNR has temporarily closed the park north of Craig Lake proper and the Teddy Lake Yurt through the end of October.
The North Country Trail within Craig Lake State Park has also been closed due to ongoing fire suppression operations.
The remainder of Craig Lake State Park is open to the public.
Black River Fire
The 350-acre Black River Fire, located 4 miles south of Wakefield, is currently 70% contained. It was detected Oct. 11 and was initially managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The DNR took over management of the fire Oct. 13, and the cause is still under investigation. There are currently no road or trail closures associated with this fire, but the public is reminded to please avoid the area for their safety and to avoid interfering in fire suppression operations.
Temporary flight restriction
A temporary flight restriction remains in place over both the Ridge Fire and the Craig Lake Fire for a 5-nautical-mile radius and below 3,500 feet. The public is asked to please avoid the area around both fires so that suppression efforts are not interrupted. Drones are not permitted in the fire area as they will bring air operations to a halt.
Fire response
The DNR had a total of 84 firefighters assigned to the Rugged Terrain Complex Saturday. A DNR Incident Management Team is managing the complex. Additional support is being provided by U.S. Forest Service, Marquette National Weather Service, Michigan State Police, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management, Baraga County Emergency Management, Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office, Gogebic County Emergency Management, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Bay Mills Indian Community, Negaunee Township, Michigamme-Spurr Fire Department, Bessemer Township Fire Department, Wakefield City Fire Department and DNR Law Enforcement Division.
As always, the DNR reminds people to check Michigan.gov/BurnPermit before planning to burn yard debris or start a campfire, and to have an accessible water source nearby. For more fire safety tips, visit Michigan.gov/PreventWildfires.
