Source of Black River Fire confirmed
‘Ready, set, go’ status lifted at Ridge Fire
Evidence of charring high up the trunk of cedar trees struck by lightning, which caused the Black River Fire. (Courtesy of the Michigan DNR)
An updated map shows the "Ready, Set, Go!" management action points, containment area and other details on the Ridge Fire near Marquette. (Courtesy of the Michigan DNR)
Evidence of charring high up the trunk of cedar trees struck by lightning, which caused the Black River Fire. (Courtesy of the Michigan DNR)
An updated map shows the "Ready, Set, Go!" management action points, containment area and other details on the Ridge Fire near Marquette. (Courtesy of the Michigan DNR)
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Upper Peninsula -- Sunday night, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources released updated information on containment efforts in the Rough Terrain Complex, which included determining the cause of the Black Ridge Fire.
Determining the cause of the fire had not been a priority up to this point, given the initial urgency demanded by the fire. With the 350 acre fire now 70 percent contained, investigators were able to use site-specific observations to trace burn patterns back to the origin of the fire, where they can better isolate indicators of cause.
Charring patterns on a group of cedar trees, validated by lightning strike mapping, led investigators to confirm lightning as the cause of the Black River Fire.
Additionally -- as of Monday afternoon -- the "Ready, Set, Go!" protocol for potential evacuations initiated in response to the Ridge Fire for residents along North Basin Drive has been lifted by the DNR and Marquette County Sheriff’s Office.
The lifting of this protocol was made possible by the recent rain, cooler weather and progress made by firefighters in establishing containment lines to prevent further spreading of the Ridge Fire towards residential areas.
The Ridge Fire remains at 466 avers and 50 percent contained. The Craig Lake Fire is estimated to be 606 acres and 90 percent contained.
While containment efforts are promising, members of the public should still stay clear of affected areas as containment efforts are still being conducted.
As always, the DNR reminds people to check Michigan.gov/BurnPermit before planning to burn yard debris or start a campfire, and to have an accessible water source nearby. For more fire safety tips, visit Michigan.gov/PreventWildfires.