Ridge Fire settling down, evacuation orders lifted
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MARQUETTE COUNTY -- A wildland fire located approximately 10 miles northwest of Marquette between County Road 510 and North Basin Drive is settling down after several days of growth. The fire was first spotted Friday afternoon by a DNR pilot, and grew to over 250 acres, prompting the evacuation of at least three homes.
In a Monday afternoon press release, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said that humidity and lower temperatures on Monday had caused fire activity to "settle down," enough that the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office had lifted their evacuation order, and reduced the "Ready, Set, Go!" status for residents of North Basin Drive from "set" to "ready."
Under a "ready" status, residents are encouraged to remove dry brush and debris within 30 to 100 feet of their home so firefighters can protect it, plan an evacuation route, pack an emergency bag including medications, important documents and pet supplies and monitor information from the DNR and Marquette County Sheriff's Office on social media and local news.
The DNR also announced on Monday that winds out of the north were pushing wildfire smoke from the Ridge Fire into Marquette, and smoke from the Craig Lake Fire into Ishpeming, Negaunee, Marquette and Michigamme.
"If you live, work, or are traveling in the area, be alert about the possibility of heavy smoke," said the DNR's release. "Wildfire smoke may cause coughing, runny nose or watery eyes. If you have any type of heart or lung disease, excessive wildfire smoke can be dangerous. You can reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke by planning activities indoors and limiting time outside when smoke is heavy."
The change in the weather, while it caused smoke to move into more populated areas, has been welcomed, especially as both the Ridge Fire and the Craig Lake Fire have proven difficult to fight.
"The fire is located in very rugged, difficult terrain, making suppression efforts from firefighters on the ground very challenging," said a Sunday press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The fire has been fought on the ground as well as by aircraft. Two Fire Boss aircraft from Minnesota, which scoop up water to drop on the fire, and a Michigan State Police Aviation Type 2 helicopter have been assisting with fire suppression efforts.
"Forty DNR firefighters are on the ground working to establish dozer line(s) where they can in an effort to establish containment lines," said the Michigan DNR on Sunday. "Negaunee Township Fire Department is also assisting."
On Sunday, residents in the area of Craig Lake were encouraged to monitor local media and emergency alerts, load vehicles with emergency bags and valuables and be ready to leave, as "Ready, Set, Go!" protocol was placed at "set status."
While conditions have since changed and status has reduced the protocol to "ready," fire conditions can change quickly.
The Marquette County Sheriff's Office has established an evacuation center at Negaunee Township Hall, located at 42 East State Hwy M-35 in Negaunee. The Red Cross will be assisting evacuees and their pets at this location.
The DNR will continue to update residents if the fire progresses to the point that triggers the "Go!" status, at which point residents will be urged to evacuate.
In addition to several homes, the Noquemanon Trail system is closed west of the trailhead on County Road 510, and people have been urged to avoid that area.
In addition to the Ridge Fire, several other fires have cropped up around the Upper Peninsula this weekend due to drought conditions combined with heat and strong winds.
The Craig Lake Fire, burning north of Craig Lake in Baraga County, was estimated to be at about 30 acres in size as of Sunday.
"This fire is in a very remote area that is also rugged terrain that is very difficult to access," said the Michigan DNR. "The remote location and terrain of this fire also make suppression efforts very challenging. Firefighters are working to improve access to the fire area and establish a hand line, which includes clearing vegetation down to bare mineral soil to assist with containment lines."
According to the DNR's Sunday release, 12 firefighters were working on the ground at the Craig Lake fire, which was first spotted by a DNR pilot on Friday.
A temporary flight restriction has been put into place over both the Craig Lake and Ridge Fires for a 5 nautical mile radius and below 3,500 feet. The public is asked to avoid the areas around both fires so that fire suppression efforts are not interrupted. Drones are not permitted in fire areas, as they impede fire suppression.
""Both fires are fueled by a mix of conifers and hardwoods on ridge tops and a mix of balsam and spruce in the lowlands," said Keith Murphy, DNR Incident Command. "Public safety and firefighter safety remain our top priority."
The cause of both fires is currently under investigation, although fire danger in the area has been very high all weekend due to dry, warm, windy weather and dry fuels.
The DNR reminds people to check Michigan.gov/BurnPermit before planning to burn yard debris or start a campfire, and always to have an accessible water source nearby. For more fire safety tips, visit Michigan.gov/PreventWildfires.
Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.