Michigan’s Ridge fire is only 30% contained, and homes are threatened at the state’s Black River fire

Michigan’s Ridge fire stood at 466 acres and only 30% contained on the morning of October 16, and its crews were still guarding structures in the Upper Peninsula woods north of Negaunee. Far to the west, in Gogebic County, the Black River fire had burned 382 acres and was 60% contained, with residences listed as threatened. Both are state-managed fires in a month when the rest of the country is quiet: the national preparedness level sits at 1.

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Neither fire is large by western standards, which is exactly why the numbers deserve a careful read. Containment percentages move slowly when terrain is rugged and the ground is dry, and the projected finish dates for both incidents, October 23 for Ridge and October 24 for Black River, are still a week away. Containment dates in a federal report are estimates, and a change in wind or humidity can push them in either direction, which is why the percentages are the more useful measure of how much fire line is actually secure on a given morning.

Ridge fire: 466 acres, 30% contained, structures threatened

The National Interagency Fire Center’s incident management situation report for 0730 MDT on October 16 lists the Ridge fire six miles north of Negaunee, managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on state-owned land. It shows 466 acres, up 32 acres from the prior report, with 30% containment and an estimated containment date of October 23. Structures are threatened, none have been lost, and fire behavior is described as minimal and smoldering. The report puts 63 personnel and nine engines on the fire and the cost to date at $190,000.

The growth is small, but it shows the fire is not finished. At the DNR’s October 12 update, the Ridge fire was about 450 acres and 20% contained, roughly 10 miles northwest of Marquette, so the fire has gained only a few acres while containment rose by ten points in four days. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity had calmed fire activity that Monday, and the DNR credited the weather with giving crews a boost.

A DNR pilot spotted the fire on October 9 at 3:55 p.m., according to the department’s October 11 release, and the cause remains under investigation. Three residences on County Road 510 were evacuated at the outset; that order has since been lifted, and North Basin Drive residents were moved from “Set” back to “Ready” under the state’s Ready, Set, Go! protocol. Ridge fire incident commander Nate Stearns said public safety and firefighter safety remain the top priority.

Black River fire near Wakefield

The same federal report lists the Black River fire four miles south of Wakefield, with 382 acres and no growth since the previous report. Containment is 60%, the estimated containment date is October 24, residences are threatened, and no structures have been lost. Fire behavior is minimal, with smoldering and creeping, and the report notes that precipitation fell over the fire area the previous day. A crew of 57 personnel and 10 engines is assigned, and the cost to date is $210,000.

The fire has grown since it first drew attention. FOX 11 reported on October 13 that the Black River fire was about 300 acres and 40% contained as of Monday night, with no evacuations issued, which means the reported acreage has risen by roughly 80 acres since then even as containment improved by 20 points.

Dry conditions behind a busy week for the DNR

Michigan Public reported on October 12 that the DNR attributes the “very high” fire danger to drought, warm temperatures and strong winds. Its coverage also noted that a wind shift overnight pushed heavy smoke into Negaunee, Ishpeming, Marquette, Michigamme and nearby communities, though the DNR said that was not the result of a significant increase in fire activity. The DNR’s own update that day said a north wind sent smoke south of the fires and that the state issued an air quality alert for Baraga, Marquette, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties.

The fires in the Upper Peninsula are part of a wider set. Besides Ridge and Black River, the DNR has been fighting the Craig Lake fire north of Craig Lake State Park, which was about 400 acres and 25% contained on October 12. Resources are also stretched by terrain: crews on the Craig Lake fire are using hand tools in places reachable only on foot, and the Ridge fire sits in very rugged country that makes ground suppression difficult.

Nationally, the picture is calm. The October 16 national report lists a preparedness level of 1 and 11 uncontained large fires, which puts two small Michigan incidents in a spotlight they would not receive in July. Residents near either fire can check burn rules before lighting yard debris or campfires; the DNR reminds the public that fire danger is very high and points to Michigan’s burn permit page.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.

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