Michigan's Grayling Wildfire Contained, But Dry Conditions Raise Concerns for Future Fires

A large wildfire southeast of Grayling, Michigan, was ignited by a campfire on private property, burning 2,400 acres before firefighters contained more than 90% of the blaze. The wildfire happened in the heart of Crawford County’s jack pine forestland, an ecosystem at high risk for wildfire because of the dry conditions of jack pine stands. Dangerous fire risk conditions are expected to continue this week in the Grayling area and across the state. Locals are concerned about continued and future fire risk across the community, especially with the clear cutting of hardwood forests and replacing them with red pine plantations, another fire-prone species highly valued in the forestry industry as building material.