DNR photo by DNR pilot Gordon Zuehlke
DNR Photo by DNR pilot Gordon Zuehlke
DNR photo by pilot Gordon Zuehlke
DNR Photo by DNR pilot Gordon Zuehlke
Photos courtesy Michigan DNR/By DNR pilot Gordon Zuehlke
***Update the fire was officially declared wrapped up at 11:11 a.m. today Friday, June 24, 2016 – a big thank you to all firefighters from U.P. Breaking News!
News Director, Owner
(Michigamme Township, MI) – Firefighters are expecting to be battling the remains of a remote wildfire in hilly, rocky terrain near Lake Arflin north of Michigamme, Michigan.
The blaze was one of four Upper Peninsula wildfires on Monday (June 20, 2016) battled by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) firefighters in the Upper Peninsula.
“The Peshekee Grade Fire” fire is 8 miles north of U.S.-41 on the Peshekee Grade Road – about two miles north of Dishno Road – the road to Clear Lake.
The cause of the fire and its exact point of origin remain under investigation,
The fire involves dry slashings from an “old clear cut” -and slowed when it moved into wooded areas with Maple, Spruce and Balsam. The blaze “fingered” with a slim small area of fire along a rock nob and dangerous cliff rims.
“It’s just southeast of Lake Arflin,” said Keith Murphy, DNR Fire Management Specialist, Michigan DNR-Marquette ICC.
Crews are using four bulldozers, dozens of firefighters and two “swamp rats.” The swamp rats are rugged former military troop transport vehicles converted into DNR water tankers containing 800 gallons each and are stationed in Gwinn and Newberry.
It isn’t the usual 35-acre wildfire, and due to terrain, heat and 30 mile per hour winds on Monday that caused the blaze to spread quickly, Murphy said.
Safety is the main concern, Murphy said, and over fatigue is a danger to crews.
The fire is not threatening the handful of cabins in the area.
Embers blew ahead causing spot fires
“These are long days on rocky terrain that can cause fatigue and other safety issues,” Murphy said. “Safety is first – with the terrain and snags coming down” like dead trees and limbs – some loggers call widow-makers – including some whose whose roots were burned and its not visible on the ground.
“It’s a dirty burn” in “hard rocky terrain,” Murphy said, meaning the fire is in rough area that is very unacceptable to most DNR vehicles causing crews to stretch “quite a few” hoses long distances from the many creeks that run through the rugged terrain
If firefighters don’t get a break from Mother Nature with a good soaking of rain the DNR expects the fire suppression efforts to last through the weekend.
The DNR is battling the fire and mop up including firefighting units from the U.P. and northern Lower Peninsula including Gwinn, Ishpeming, Baraga, Crystal Falls and today from Newberry and Shingleton.
“We are using Lower Peninsula (firefighting assets) crews to staff the U.P.” stations and to swap out as manpower during the fire, Murphy said.
The were five wildfires on Monday – three in Marquette County and two in Delta County involving U.S. Forest Service land – and the others were small and quickly put out.
Lake Arflin
Dishno Road
Keith Murphy
MI DNR Fire Management Specialist
Michigan DNR-Marquette ICC
110 Ford Rd
Marquette, MI 49855
(c) 906-250-1382
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Upper Peninsula Breaking News is a free news service in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – only requirement is to give mandatory credit for use of audio, video, graphics and online uses.
Questions call 906-273-2433
Greg Peterson/Upper Peninsula Breaking News
News Director, Owner
http://upbreakingnews.com/DNRBattlesPeshekeeGradeFireThruWeekeend
http://upbreakingnews.com/ThePeshekeeGradeFireWildsfires
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DNR wildfire file photo
DNR wildfire file photo
Michigan wildfires suppressed by the Department of Natural Resources to date and compared to last year.
Wildfires and Acres Burned Last Week By Region
Wildfires and Acres Burned To Date Compared to Last Year
Wildfires and Acres Burned to Date By Region
Wildfires to Date By Cause
Acres Burned to Date By Cause
Michigan Smoke Management Plan 
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/DNR-FRD-OrgChrt_511011_7.pdf
The Michigan DNR eyes in the sky are crucial to fighting U.P. fires and helping manage wildlife
The five pilots, who fly a single engine Cessna, are the “eyes in the sky” for the Department of Natural Resources. Although their primary mission is fire detection, the pilots also take part in wildlife surveys and assist the Law Enforcement Division in search and rescue, off-road vehicle surveillance and night shining patrols
http://testdnr.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_Detection_Pilots
posted by Eric Epplett on Thu, Jun 02, 2016
http://hubspot.aviation.wmich.edu/jobs-scholarships-and-internship-postings/job-post-michigan-dnr
Michigan DNR pilot Gordon Zuehlke – Escanaba
http://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/news/2008-05-01/outdoors/058.html
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_46403_63473-382056–,00.html
Michigan DNR pilot Dean Minett – Newberry
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/how_duck_lake_fire_was_discove.html
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/09/pilot-dean-minett-michigan-department.html
http://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/news/2008-05-01/outdoors/058.html
Michigan DNR pilot Neil Harri – Houghton/Hancock
http://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/news/2008-05-01/outdoors/058.html
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_46403_63473-382056–,00.html
Michigan DNR pilot Bill Green and Michigan DNR pilot Kevin Jacobs – Roscommon
https://www.facebook.com/michigandnr/posts/10151714888334245
http://www.9and10news.com/story/28962554/behind-the-scenes-how-the-dnr-battles-fires-from-the-air
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2008/11/dnr_takes_to_the_skies_in_hunt.html
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Marquette County Fire Officer Contacts
Baraga Field Office
427 US 41 North
Baraga, MI 49908
John Mattila
Forest Fire Officer
Phone: 906-353-6651 Ext. 113
mattilaj@michigan.gov
Brian Mensch
Forest Fire Officer Supervisor
Phone: 906-353-6651 Ext. 106
menschb@michigan.gov
Baraga Field Office
Phone: 906-353-6651
FAX: 906-353-7464
Escanaba Field Office
6833 US-2, 41 & M-35
Gladstone, MI 49837
Jay Osterberg
Forest Fire Officer
Phone: 906-786-2354 Ext. 7862140
osterbergj@michigan.gov
Steve Sanville
Forest Fire Officer Supervisor
Phone: 906-786-2354 Ext. 7862136
sanvilles@michigan.gov
Escanaba Field Office
Phone: 906-786-2354
FAX: 906-786-2384
Gwinn Field Office
410 West M-35
Gwinn, MI 49841
James Johnston
Forest Fire Officer
Phone: 906-346-9201 Ext. 18
johnstonj6@michigan.gov
Dan Nathan
Forest Fire Officer
Phone: 906-346-9201 Ext. 26
nathand@michigan.gov
Pete Glover
Forest Fire Officer Supervisor
Phone: 906-346-9201 Ext. 11
gloverp@michigan.gov
Gwinn Field Office
Phone: 906-346-9201
FAX: 906-346-9681
Ishpeming Field Office
1985 US 41 South
Ishpeming, MI 49849
Kay Countryman
Forest Fire Officer
Phone: 906-485-1031 Ext. 312
countrymank@michigan.gov
Pete Glover
Forest Fire Officer Supervisor
Phone: 906-346-9201 Ext. 11
gloverp@michigan.gov
Ishpeming Field Office
Phone: 906-485-1031
FAX: 906-485-6200
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-30301_30816—,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-30301_30816_44539—,00.html
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Marquette_County_(MI)
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_54559_10402-364282–,00.html
Marquette Customer Service Center
1990 US-41 South, Marquette MI 49855
906-228-6561
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 