MARQUETTE - Firefighters from across the area are battling a forest fire burning north of Ishpeming tonight.
Marquette County Central Dispatch in Negaunee Township first received a call about the fire, which started near Silver Lake, at 3:50 p.m. today. The pillar of smoke could soon be seen from Marquette.
Ishpeming Township Fire Department Chief Andy Lusardi said firefighters were using bulldozers and heavy equipment to construct earthen barriers in an attempt to stop the fire.
"(The wind) is not too bad, it's a little gusty," Lusardi said. "A fire creates its own weather inside of it and that's what's happening here. I have no idea how big it is."
A Michigan Department of Natural Resources plane was surveying the fire this afternoon and Lusardi said DNR firefighters were on their way, in addition to firefighters from Gwinn and Escanaba.
Kyle Whitney can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. His email address is kwhitney@miningjournal.net.