MSU Extension Emergency Management

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Michigan Wildfires & the Firewise Communities Program

Wildfires in the state of Michigan are generally underestimated in regard to number and losses. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates that 8,000 to 10,000 wildfires occur each year in this state. While most of these are small wildfires - burning between 5 and 50 acres -- many wildfires exceed 100 acres and some have consumed thousands of acres. In addition, each year 100 to 200 homes and buildings are either lost or damaged due to wildfires. Because most wildfires are caused by human activities, the number of wildfires and losses can be reduced if residents would take more precautions.

Wildfires occur throughout the spring, summer and fall, however, most wildfires in Michigan take place in March, April, and May. During this period, much of the existing vegetation has been killed due to winter temperatures and most of the vegetation is dead, brown and combustible. Also, there is little green vegetation to serve as a barrier for a moving wildfire. In the spring, residents are raking yards and collecting yard waste that has accumulated over winter. Many residents elect to burn their yard waste and this leads to the majority of wildfires. The MDNR estimates that one-third to one-half of Michigan wildfires are due to people burning debris.

Contrary to public belief, most wildfires in Michigan are not the large forest fires such as the wildfire that occurred near San Diego in 2003, leading to daily news coverage. Most wildfires are small and never make news headlines. However, Michigan has had its share of large, devastating wildfires, including major fires within the last two decades.

Wildfire History

The largest wildfire that impacted Michigan occurred on October 8, 1871, near Peshtigo, Wisconsin on the Michigan-Wisconsin state line. Burning over 2400 square miles in northern Wisconsin and Michigan, this wildfire caused 1300 to 1500 fatalities, while consuming the town of Peshtigo and many other communities and homes. Eye-witness accounts reported that in the town of Peshtigo -- a town of approximately 1700 residents -- only one building was left standing.

Ten years later, in 1881, a large wildfire occurred in the "Thumb" area of Michigan which consumed over 1 million acres and took 282 lives. The Thumb wildfire is said to have been caused by a combination of logging, land-clearing fires, and low humidity.

More recently, on May 5, 1980, the Mack Lake Fire near Mio, Michigan, consumed over 25,000 acres of wildland. The fire destroyed 44 homes and claimed the life of one fire fighter.

In 1990, the Stephan Bridge Road Fire near Grayling consumed 8 miles of vegetation in a 4-hour time period. While no one was killed, the fire destroyed 76 homes and another 125 out-buildings. A smoldering brush fire, wind, and neighboring jack pines led to the cause and extent of this fire.

Fighting Wildfires

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest, Mineral, and Fire Management Division (MDNR-FMFM) assumes overall responsibility for wildfire protection in Michigan. In lower Michigan, most wildfires are surpressed by local fire departments. In northern Michigan, MDNR Fire Management staff are called on to surpress wildfires. The MDNR also provides continuous training to local fire fighters on wildfire behavior and wildfire suppression so that local departments can handle these fires.

When the wildfire exceeds the local department's physical ability or knowledge of wildfire behavior, the MDNR-FMFM and/or the US Forest Service will be called on to assist. Professional staff of MDNR-FMFM and the US Fire Service have specialized training and equipment to handle larger fires. Because most wildfires in Michigan are small, most fires are contained by local fire departments.

In southern Michigan where populations are larger and more rural homes exist, residents play an important role in reporting wildfires. Rural residents and passers-by with cell phones play an important role in helping fire departments locate and suppress wildfires. In northern Michigan where access to rural areas is limited and fewer people reside, aircraft are used to help spot wildfires. In either location, the earlier the detection and reporting occurs, the more likely it will be that a wildfire can be located and suppressed before it can cause significant damage.

Wildfire Causes

Wildfire is a naturally occurring part of the environment. While we often think of wildfires as being "bad", it is just one way of nature eliminating dead vegetation - sort of an environmental house-cleaning. However, as humans settled this country and began clearing land and building homes, roads, railroads, and campgrounds, new artificial causes of wildfire arrived on the scene.

Typically Michigan residents will guess that smoking and lightning are the two most common causes of wildfire. However, the number of wildfires caused by smoking and lightning generally cause less than 5 percent of all Michigan wildfires. As mentioned earlier, most wildfires in Michigan are caused by people burning debris. However, wildfires are also caused by vehicle exhaust, sparks from trains and heavy equipment, camping, smoking, arson and lightning. A breakdown of Michigan wildfire causes is posted on the MDNR website.

Causes of wildfires will vary from state to state. For example, in Florida, approximately half of all wildfires are ignited by lightning, while in Michigan only about 2 percent are caused by lightning. These variations are due to climate, vegetation, topography, and weather.

Protecting a Michigan Home from Wildfire

Homes threatened by wildfire are primarily those located in the "wildland-urban interface". This is the zone where homes and subdivisions have been located in wildland areas where natural wildfires can have an impact. While wildfires in themselves are not bad, they burn whatever fuel is in their path, whether it is vegetation or buildings. Wildfire can destroy or damage a home in many ways although any home can be protected by applying simple practices. The Firewise Communities/USA Program was developed to help homeowners understand wildfire behavior and how to protect their home should a wildfire occur.

One of the most common causes of a home being damaged or destroyed is due to radiant heat. In a wildfire, radiant heat is the heat given off by burning vegetation. The high temperatures of some wildfires can cause the deck, siding or roof of a home to ignite, just because the fire was too near the home. Especially in areas of solid conifers (pines, spruces, junipers, and other conifers), radiant heat can be very hot. Studies have shown that when solid stands of conifers exist, a minimum of 30 feet of "defensible space" should be provided between the vegetation and the home. Studies in western wildfires have shown that approximately 85 percent of those homes surviving a major wildfire had 30-50 feet of defensible space around the home, coupled with fire-resistant roofing.

Another important cause of homes and buildings catching fire during a wildfire is fire brands. Fire brands are the burning embers that rise out of a vegetative fire. This is similar to those one might see rising out of a campfire. However, in a wildfire, these fire brands can act like a blizzard with glowing embers swept along on wind currents and landing on or under decks, on roofs, in wood piles and other locations where a new fire could start. Fire brands can also be carried up to a mile downwind from the actual fire, starting spot fires ahead of the original fire.

Studies have shown that by using fire-resistant roofing such as metal, asphalt, or composite shingles can prevent or reduce a roof from catching fire. Keeping leaves and litter from gathering under decks, behind landscape plants, or out of eave trough gutters can greatly reduce the chance of a house or building catching fire.

The following links provide additional wildfire mitigation information that will be useful to local jurisdictions and homeowners in the wildland-urban interface.