DNR, local fire crews battle wildfire in Presque Isle County
Fire 90% contained Monday after burning 190 acres
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- Plumes of smoke could be seen rising near the Tomahawk Creek Flooding in Presque Isle County Sunday night. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
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- An aerial view, at roughly 1:30 p.m. Monday, of the land in Presque Isle County burned by the Tomahawk Lake Fire. The fire started late Sunday and is now 90% contained. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
Plumes of smoke could be seen rising near the Tomahawk Creek Flooding in Presque Isle County Sunday night. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY — Firefighters from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and local fire departments battled a wildfire late Sunday through Monday near the southeastern edge of the Tomahawk Creek Flooding in Presque Isle County.
The wildfire burned about 190 acres of state-managed land, including jack pine stands, a blueberry bog and hardwood debris left behind by last year’s ice storm.
“The fire is mostly contained. We’re monitoring it and extinguishing hot spots now,” said Jennifer Hansen, fire supervisor for the DNR’s Atlanta Unit. “Crews will remain on scene today and tomorrow to continue monitoring the area.”
Laurie Abel, public information officer for the DNR’s Incident Management Team, said weather conditions helped slow the spread of the fire throughout Sunday night.
“The weather helped us quite a bit — cooler temperatures, frost, high humidity,” Abel added. “We were able to not have it spread.”
An aerial view, at roughly 1:30 p.m. Monday, of the land in Presque Isle County burned by the Tomahawk Lake Fire. The fire started late Sunday and is now 90% contained. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
Traffic restrictions along Spring Lake, Anderson and Millersburg roads are no longer in effect.
According to a press release, one vehicle became stuck on a forest road and was burned, though the occupants escaped and were safe as of Monday.
Despite the fire, no evacuations had been ordered and no homes or structures were considered at risk.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Equipment used in firefighting efforts Sunday included four Air Boss water-scooping planes, an Air Attack plane, which coordinates air activity, and DNR fire detection aircraft.
The DNR recently leased two AT-802 water-scooping planes using one-time funding approved by the Legislature to strengthen the state’s wildfire response.
Officials say downed timber left behind by the March 2025 ice storm in northern Lower Michigan has significantly increased wildfire danger this spring. Several days of dry, windy weather have also heightened fire risk across the region.
DNR fire crews were assisted Sunday by DNR conservation officers, DNR aviation staff, U.S. Forest Service aviation personnel, the Michigan State Police, and fire departments from Onaway, Forest Waverly and Case Township, as well as Presque Isle County Emergency Management and the Salvation Army.
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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.
