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DNR Stopped Issuing Burn Permits, Dry Conditions Fueling Concern Over Fire Danger

The dry conditions are fueling a growing concern over the fire danger Friday night.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has stopped issuing burn permits due to the lower humidity and high winds.

9&10’s Whitney Amann has more details on what the DNR is doing to protect people and property.

“It only takes a few minutes to go inside to get a drink of water and come back out and it’s escaped,” said Dana Pelton, forest fire supervisor for the Gaylord DNR management unit.

Dry weather, especially this time of year, means fire danger season.

“With the higher winds and the lower humidity’s there’s a good possibility that embers can fly out of the campfire or burn barrel and escape,” said Pelton, “There’s a good probability of that with the weather conditions so that’s why the burn permits were shut down.”

Although the DNR stopped issuing burn permits for brush and yard waste, they still want you to be able to enjoy a campfire and remember some safety tips.

“Some might have a campfire in the backyard just make sure that it’s out with a hose and stir it with a shovel or rake just to make sure that it’s dead out or just have someone attend it,” said Pelton. “They can still have campfires as long as they’re attended and just not allowed to burn leaf litter, yard clippings, that kind of thing.”

Those camping in Traverse City know the importance of fire safety and the potential dangers.

“When we decide to go to bed we’ll definitely pour some water on it and make sure that the fire is out and that’s something we always do when we go camping,” said Lisa Smith. “We’ve got a lot of people here to cover it so if somebody has to run to the restroom there’s someone here all the time.”

Once there is more rain, the DNR will start issuing burn permits again.

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