DNR: Grayling fire started by private property campfire, at 85% containment

GRAYLING — As smoke billows out throughout northern Michigan, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is working with local fire departments to contain and stop an active wildfire just a few miles south of Grayling.

The wildfire is about at 85% contained, according to Laurie Abel of the DNR.

The fire started Saturday night from a campfire on private property, she said.

There is still an active fire in the 85% containment area, though it is not likely to spread, Abel said. The other 15% is an open and active fire with the potential to move.

Abel said the containment process is done by hitting the hottest spots of the fire and plowing lines the fire can't get across.

Fire Danger Map: Great Lakes Fire and Fuels map displaying current fire danger conditions

More: Wildfire near Grayling down to 2,400 acres; I-75 reopened; evacuation order lifted

"We're hitting the hottest spots the best we can," Abel said. "We used a lot of air support, dumping water on the fire, and then we use our ground support with our plows. We plow in a line, literally plowing roads in a line to get that break where the fire won't cross."

The DNR did not collect numbers of how many people were evacuated or the square mileage of the areas from where people were evacuated. Emergency personnel evacuated some people on Saturday.

Evacuees were sent to Bear Creek Township Hall. The American Red Cross was set up ready for people there, though Sunday morning volunteer Dan Cummings said he only saw two clients while he was there.

Abel said the fire is now at about 2,400 acres.

The evacuation notice has been lifted. I-75 has since reopened as well after being closed most of Saturday.

State Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, visited the DNR staging area to visit with the people on the front lines working to fight the fires and get more information to report back to his constituents, he said.

“I represent a very large district, and of course Grayling is kind of at the heart of it, so I’ve actually been hearing a lot about it from people in the surrounding counties that are concerned, is it moving their way or not,” Borton said. “That’s the kind of information I’m trying to get now, is to find out exactly where it’s headed, what we can expect today.”

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Another fire is not off the table given the dry conditions throughout the state. The DNR said it is working to get this fire to a manageable level for the local fire units in order to be prepared in case another fire breaks out.

"We are still at extreme fire conditions right now. We are preparing now to give this fire back to the local units, the ones that are close by," Abel said. "We're trying to get this to the level that they can handle it so us, as the overhead team, can move on if there's another one, because the conditions right now are prime for another one."

— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN. 

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Michigan DNR: Grayling wildfire at 85% containment, fire still active