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Fire risk ‘very high’ for dozens of Michigan counties: What that means

Fire danger elevated for most of Lower Michigan

Fire risk map on May 23, 2024. (NFS.gov)

Dozens of Michigan counties have an elevated risk for fire on Thursday, due to warm, dry conditions.

A Red Flag Warning was not officially issued, but the National Forest Service has listed nearly all of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula at a “very high” risk for fire on Thursday.

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“When the fire danger is “Very High,” fires will start easily from most causes. The fires will spread rapidly and have a quick increase in intensity, right after ignition. Small fires can quickly become large fires and exhibit extreme fire intensity, such as long-distance spotting and fire whirls. These fires can be difficult to control and will often become much larger and longer-lasting fires,” NFS says.

Some guidelines if you’re in one of the areas:

  • If you are allowed to burn in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.
  • Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle. They may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.
  • Extinguish all outdoor fires properly. Drown fires with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.
  • Never leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.

A Red Flag Warning (RFW) is a term that has been used since the 1960s by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) fire weather forecasters to alert forecast users to an ongoing or imminent critical fire weather pattern.

Related: When fire ravaged Michigan’s Thumb region: ‘A demon in the gale’


About the Author
Ken Haddad headshot

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

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