EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — On the heels of spring flood warnings two weeks ago, wildfires are breaking out across the Upper Peninsula and the DNR has cancelled weekend burning permits. On Wednesday, the DNR battled nine fires, including two in Chippewa County that burned more than 80 acres each. All the fires were of human origin. Citations have been issued or are being considered for improperly burning debris. Firefighters from the Hiawatha National Forest ran on two wildfires Wednesday, forest dispatcher Roger Humpula said. Both fires were extinguished and being mopped up this morning, Humpula said. The cause of the fires isn’t known but investigators are looking at human-related causes. Fires fought by DNR personnel Wednesday included ones near Sault Ste. Marie and Manistique. Heavy snows and a late spring melt this year created high water and flood warnings two weeks ago, but those conditions changed drastically in recent days, said Greg Lusk, assistant regional forest manager for the DNR. “Historically, this week is the peak of the fire season in the spring,” Lusk said. “The vegetation out from under the snow cover has been cured, it’s dead and has no moisture in it.” Unfortunately, fire starts are “99.9 percent” human-related, Lusk said. “One time a beaver chewed through a tree and it hit a power line and started a fire. Once a cow rubbed up against an electric fence and caused another one, but that’s the only two in 20 years” that were not human-related. To help lessen the chance of wildfires, the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service have halted the issuance of open burning permits.

90 years ago

IRONWOOD — John H. Hearding, who began his mining career in Ironwood in 1887 as a clerk and who has been prominently identified with industry in the Lake Superior region for 45 years, voluntarily retired this week from the position of assistant general manager of the Oliver Iron Mining Company, according to information received from Duluth, where he has made his home since 1909.

Hearding holds the record of the longest term of unbroken service of any general officer of the company.