By KURT HAUGLIE

khauglie@mininggazette.com

There are patches of grass showing around the piles of snow in the Keweenaw, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has begun warning people to be careful when burning yard waste.

Dan Laux, DNR wildfire specialist, said in the southern Lower Peninsula most of the snow has melted, and there have already been two small wildfires near Grand Rapids and Jackson. The northern L.P. still has some snow with large areas without snow. The Upper Peninsula is still mostly snow covered.

“There’s a few bare spots in the U.P.,” he said.

The weather forecast for the Keweenaw for the end of the week is for temperatures in the 50s and sunny, which Laux said will further reduce snow cover.

“The sun will really knock (the snow piles) down,” he said.

Those who want to burn their piles of brush must go through a process, first, Laux said.

“As soon as the ground is bare, burn permits are needed,” he said.

To get information about burn permits, go online to michigan.gov/burnpermit, or call 866-922-2876.

In early spring, Laux said the greatest amount of potential wildfire fuel is dead grass, leaves and twigs from the previous year. Those are called one-hour fuels because of how fast they can become a problem.

“The fine fuels can dry out real quickly,” he said.

For several recent years, Michigan was in a severe drought situation, but Laux said that’s not the case, now. The DNR is still keeping a close watch on things, however.

“We’re expecting an early start (to the fire season) this year across the state,” he said.

Despite expecting an early start to the wildfire season, Laux said exactly what the fire season will be through the spring and summer is uncertain.

“So much of it depends on day-to-day weather,” he said.

Laux said the weather forecasts he’s seen for March, April, and May show warmer than normal temperatures and lower than normal precipitation.

In the U.P., Laux said the areas most vulnerable to wildfire are large open areas of vegetation with sandy soil and areas of pine growth, particularly jack pine, also on sandy soil, which doesn’t hold moisture well.

“Those are areas where you could get a more severe fire,” he said.

One of the requirements for burning brush is to stay with the fire until it’s out, Laux said.

“They can’t leave it unattended,” he said.

There should be quick access to water at the burn site for fires that start to get out of control, also, Laux said.

If a fire does start to get out of control, Laux said 911 should be called immediately for obvious reasons.

“A small fire is easier to deal with than a big one,” he said.

If a person does leave a fire unattended and it gets away causing damage, Laux said there are consequences.

“They could get a citation and a bill for (the cost of) suppression,” he said.

If possible, Laux said the best thing to do with brush is wait to burn until the vegetation surrounding the burn site has become green, which makes it less likely to catch fire.

Although it may seem obvious, Laux said many people still violate one of the most important restrictions for burning, which is the number one cause of wildfires in Michigan.

“Don’t ever burn on a windy day,” he said.