Firefighters are still working to control the Meridian Boundary fire in Crawford County in northern lower Michigan which has consumed 8,790 acres and burned 12 homes, damaged two others, and destroyed or damaged another 39 outbuildings. The fire is 65% contained with a fire line around 95% of the perimeter. There have been no reported injuries. The evacuation order is still in effect but an update on that status will be issued later today.
The fire started when a resident with a burning permit was burning leaves on a day when Red Flag warnings had been issued for some areas in northern Michigan.
The Range 9 fire that started on Camp Grayling military base was controlled at 1,040 acres Tuesday night (map of the fire). It started when a controlled burn, called a “controlled pre-burn” on the base, escaped. Camp Grayling frequently conducts these burns, executed by military personnel with little or no formal National Wildfire Coordinating Group wildfire training, in order to reduce the threat caused by fires started on their firing ranges. If a fire occurs down range while a unit is training, they must stop training until the fire is controlled, thus wasting valuable range time. It is believed that four privately owned summer cottages were destroyed when the fire burned outside the base.
A map of the Meridian Boundary fire southeast of Grayling is below. Click on it to see a larger version.
