MARQUETTE - Several wildfires burned in various areas of the Upper Peninsula over the weekend as warm temperatures, low humidity and little precipitation combined to create ideal conditions for wildfires.
Fire conditions resulted in no burning permits being issued over the weekend, and they'll continue to be unavailable today, said Bryce Avery, Michigan Department of Natural Resources fire specialist in HArvey.
"The south-central part of the U.P. is still forecasted to be very high (fire danger)," Avery said. "With the cooler temperatures and a little higher humidity, the rest of the U.P. is forecast to be in the high range today."
The National Weather Service in Negaunee Township is forecasting isolated snow showers for the area later today. Dew points will still be low, however, and winds will continue to gust from the northwest at 15 to 20 mph.
On Saturday, three fires burned in the Sault Ste. Marie area, including one that covered roughly 45 acres, as well as smaller fires near Escanaba and Gwinn.
On Sunday, a 1-acre fire near Escanaba and an additional small blaze near Crystal Falls were extinguished by firefighting crews .
The largest fire of the weekend was in the Ottawa National Forest, where crews were battling a 50-acre blaze five miles east of Watersmeet on Saturday.
Officials from the Ottawa National Forest were unavailable for comment this morning.
Jackie Stark can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.