Latest news with #MichiganDNR
CBS News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Parts of Michigan currently at risk of wildfire spread, air quality alerts issued
Wildfire continues to be a significant risk in Michigan, with much of the state under notices for elevated wildfire potential. Specifically, a Red Flag Warning alerting to the potential for critical fire weather conditions is in effect until 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CST Monday across Western Upper Michigan. Low humidity and southwest winds of 20 to 25 mph mean "any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly," the National Weather Service in Marquette posted. "Campfires, outdoor grills, smoking materials, fireworks, chain saws, and all-terrain vehicles all have the potential to throw a spark and ignite a dangerous and destructive fire." In addition, the National Weather Service bureaus that handle notices for the Lower Peninsula showed an Elevated Fire Risk for several counties in Eastern Upper Michigan, Northern Lower Michigan and Western Lower Michigan in their announcements Monday morning. There have already been several small wildfires reported and brought under containment in Michigan in recent days, according to the maps at the FireWeatherAvalanche website. Those locations were in Delta, Lake, Mackinac, Manistee and Newaygo counties. Roscommon County was the scene of another fire Sunday, where Michigan State Police assisted Michigan Department of Natural Resources officers with aviation views from an MSP helicopter. Air quality advisories Summer wildfires are not just a regional weather issue, but an international one. Drifting smoke from dozens of wildfires in Canada has been contributing to smoky, hazy skies in the United States for days. Michigan has been in the path of those smoke drifts at times, with air quality advisories issued for the entire state on Friday. Another round of air quality advisories because of Canadian smoke was issued Monday for counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
A Massive Ice Storm in the Midwest Destroyed Millions of Acres of Public Forest. Here's What Happens Next
Michiganders can handle their share of winter weather. But the ice storm that hit the Lower Peninsula in late March was so severe and destructive that people have called it a 'generational storm.' With an inch or more of ice building on branches for days on end, entire stands of pine, oak, and aspen in Northern Michigan snapped or buckled under the weight — as did power lines, poles, and other infrastructure. The storm caused widespread blackouts and led Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to submit a disaster declaration asking for federal aid. Residents and state officials are still surveying the damage and working through the wreckage across millions of acres of northern woodlands, which are unrecognizable in some places and totally inaccessible in others. So what happens now? Because of the overwhelming scale of the destruction, land managers say there will be noticeable effects to forest health, including higher risks for intense wildfires. These altered habitats will affect wildlife populations as well, although some critters might actually benefit in the long run, according to biologists. The biggest and most immediate impacts, meanwhile, are on outdoor recreation. The state warns that hunters and other users will continue to encounter blocked roads, closed accesses, and treacherous woods. Recovery efforts, including salvage logging operations, are underway and will be for the foreseeable future. State officials say this will be costly, though, and as of May 20, the Trump Administration had not yet responded to Gov. Whitmer's request for help. Roughly 3 million acres of forest in 12 counties were affected by the 2025 Ice Storm, according to initial surveys by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. That included around 1 million acres of state forest land, or roughly a quarter of the entire state forest system. The closest historical comparison in the area was the damage wrought by the Great Michigan Fire of 1871, which burned about 2.5 million acres of forest. 'It's certainly the worst natural disaster that I've lived through,' says Michigan DNR public information officer Kerry Heckman, who lives in the affected area on an 80-acre wooded parcel that borders state forest land. 'And because it lasted so long, it was almost a week of hearing nothing but trees coming down and branches breaking, almost constantly. It was very unnerving to be outside, but it was also disconcerting inside. You almost felt like there wasn't a safe place to be.' At one point a white pine just missed their house. Heckman and her husband spent the week without power, relying instead on generators while helping their neighbors cut out driveways, and praying that more falling trees wouldn't hit their cabin. 'We wouldn't even go out without a hard hat on,' Heckman continues. 'You had to have a spotter, too, because if you have a chainsaw running, you might not hear a tree coming down right next to you.' Read Next: Beginner's Guide to Timber Stand Improvement: How to Manage Your Woods for Deer and Other Wildlife It has now been two months since the storm. Heckman says the DNR has so far been able to assess around 150,000 acres, or roughly 20 percent of the affected acreage on state forest land. Foresters are still gauging the severity of the damage as they plan salvage and thinning operations, and much of the floor is still covered with downed branches, debris, and half-fallen trees that are hinged or hanging down — what Heckman calls 'ladder fuels,' which can carry flames into the tree-tops and create hotter, faster-spreading wildfires. She says they'll have to monitor and mitigate these risks for the next five to 10 years. The agency's biggest priority at this point, though, is clearing the more than 3,000 miles of state forest roads that were blocked off or damaged during the ice storm. Heckman says the DNR has focused on roads in fire-prone areas 'because we don't want to have to respond to a wildfire and not be able to get to it.' But crews are also prioritizing the main access roads that are used heavily by hunters and other forest users. 'The last time I looked, we had over 1,000 miles [of road] that were impassable. That's like us needing to clear the roads from Mackinac City to Atlanta, Georgia.' These efforts will continue at least through 2025, Heckman says, but progress is slow. Even the heavy equipment crews using skid steers and bulldozers are only able to clear about two miles of forest road a day. Most of the state parks, campgrounds, and boat ramps that were closed as a result of the storm have since reopened. The MDNR's website has an updated digital map that shows this information. But Heckman says that cabin owners and other people who frequent these woods to hunt, fish, forage, and hike will likely encounter closed roads, hard-to-reach areas, and other hazards. 'Just walking through the forest is difficult in places. There's a lot of tree tops down, limbs down, and a lot of trees that are leaning,' says Heckman. 'And aside from just traversing the forest floor, there's also overhead hazards. There's still a lot of widowmakers out there — trees or limbs that are hanging or caught up and can come down without warning.' Those hazards could remain on the landscape through the fall deer season and into the winter months and beyond. And although public access will improve as more forest roads get cleared, hunters traveling off those main roads should remain wary. 'Whether you're out turkey hunting or picking morel mushrooms, just be careful,' Heckman says. 'Make sure you keep an eye on what you're standing under, and what you're trying to walk over.' Fortunately for turkey hunters and mushroom hunters, there are still plenty of both species in the affected zones. In some ways, wild game and forage might actually benefit from the aftermath of the ice storm. (More on this in a minute.) Heckman says she expects a bumper morel crop in the coming years as woody debris decomposes on the forest floor. This woody material will also help create new and beneficial habitat for fish in local rivers. Whenever historic storms like this strike, it often reminds locals of the last bad storm — and the damage it did. In one recent Michigan hunting forum, locals are retelling stories about winter storms in the 70s, and how they saw 'hundreds of dead birds including many pheasants' that died on their roosts, some with 'ice forming on their beaks.' That doesn't seem to be the case this year, according to Heckman, who has not heard any evidence from the field of wildlife dying in the storm. There were probably some animals caught under falling trees or that died of exposure, she says, but the idea of pheasants, deer, and other critters freezing in their beds and nests is more of a wives' tale than a scientific reality. There is some peer-reviewed research into the impacts that weather can have on Michigan's game populations. According to one such study, harsh winters are one of the main limiting factors for the state's deer herds. Read Next: Why Is Deer Hunting in the Northwoods on the Decline? And Will It Ever Rebound? However, MDNR biologist Shelby Adams told reporters in April that she thinks deer and elk populations in the area will actually benefit from the disturbance, which opens up the tree canopy and creates a flush of new growth. Along with whitetails, Northern Michigan is home to the largest free-range elk herd east of the Mississippi, and Adams said she expects to see even more of those elk in the areas damaged by the ice storm. 'We know there's tops hitting the ground so the elk are taking advantage of that opportunity for this brief amount of time,' Adams told MLive. 'As the forest regenerates in the next 10 to 15 years they really do thrive in that young forest landscape.' Game birds like turkeys, ruffed grouse, and woodcock could benefit for similar reasons, Heckman says. 'We're going to see a lot of those new plants and stump sprouts, especially from aspens. And that early successional habitat, ruffed grouse and woodcock love that. It's obviously beneficial for deer as well,' she explains. 'That's actually a lot of what we're trying to do when we do forest management, is mimicking that natural disturbance.' Fortunately for wild turkeys, the ice storm hit well before their breeding and nesting season. So Heckman doubts the birds were impacted much by the event. Unfortunately for her, she was too busy coordinating damage control this spring to do any turkey hunting herself. Judging from what she's seen on her own land, though, she has high hopes for next year. 'This is just anecdotal, but I actually saw more turkeys this spring than I have in a while,' she says. 'We're still seeing lots of wildlife in the area … we've seen deer on our game cameras, and I've actually had a bear and a bobcat on there as well since the storm.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Michigan moose tracking project provides researchers with data points on births, deaths
A moose tracking project that started in February is providing new information on the lives of wild animals in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Earlier this year, 20 moose in the Upper Peninsula were captured and fitted with GPS collars in a first-of-its-kind effort in Michigan. The collars transmit locations once an hour and each device will work for several years. An additional 40 moose will be fitted with collars next winter. The latest tracking data tipped off Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff to the birth of nine calves within the past two weeks, according to a report Thursday from the DNR staff. More specifically: Three of the tracked cows had single calves and three others had twins. "By watching each moose's daily step distance, we could detect when the cows were likely going into labor. Once her movement patterns changed dramatically, heat-sensing drones were used to observe her and the calves," the DNR said. In the meantime, two calves that were caught and collared in February have died. One death was attributed to an unknown trauma injury. The other was attributed to a predator death by a female wolf who is registered in a different wildlife tracking effort. "What makes this moment significant is that it marks a first for Michigan's most in-depth study of moose mortality - and builds a clearer picture of how moose function in the ecosystem," the press release said. The images and videos collected in the research project are part of a collaboration among the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Northern Michigan University.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Fire risk high in Northern Michigan, residents and visitors urged to take precautions
The risk of fire is very high this weekend in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said Friday, urging those who live in or will visit the area to take precautions against accidental spread of a blaze. The reason is a period of dry weather days in the region. There are already wildfires this season in Canada, some of which have sent smoke drifting into the United States. Air quality advisories are in effect in parts of Michigan, including Metro Detroit, because of the Canadian wildfires. "There hasn't been significant rain in parts of the Upper Peninsula for more than two weeks," said Paul Rogers, fire prevention specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. "Burn permits will be limited, and we are asking everyone to be very careful with their campfires this weekend and into Monday." Those who will be in the region affected by the March 28-30 ice storm are especially asked to delay burning or take extra caution because of the amount of dry wood that is still on the ground in forested areas. Campfire tips If you build an outdoor campfire, keep it small and never leave it. When you have finished with your campfire, drench it with water, stir the ashes and drench it again. Make sure metal campfire rings are cool before you leave a site. Additional fire safety tips The Michigan DNR also shared these reminders Whenever you start any type of fire outside, keep a hose or other water source nearby. When burning yard debris, keep piles small. Large piles can stay hot for many hours, increasing the risk of an escaped fire. Prevent sparks. Keep trailer chains from dragging and don't park hot equipment on dry grass. Don't burn plastic, hazardous materials, foam or other household trash. This is illegal and can release dangerous chemicals into the air. Use a burn barrel with a screen on top to burn paper, leaves and natural materials. Get more fire safety information here.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Name suggestions welcomed for Peregrine falcon chicks at University of Michigan
Two Peregrine falcon chicks hatched earlier this spring at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor – and the public is invited to help name the birds. Suggestions can be made until June 4 at an online form. The winners will be announced June 9, according to the University Record news. The chicks hatched in a nesting box at the university's North Quad. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources attached tracking bands to both of them earlier in May. The adult birds responsible for the nest do not have banding, so they can't be definitively identified among the known birds. One of the Peregrine falcon chicks hatched during 2025 at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Banding efforts were done in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Asking the public to help name new checks is a recent tradition in Ann Arbor, with the chosen names often paying tribute to the university, those who have worked or studied there, and the Ann Arbor community. The species was once listed as endangered in Michigan; but about a year and a half ago the Peregrine falcon population in the state had recovered enough to be listed instead as threatened. The birds remain federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The University of Michigan nest included three nonviable eggs that have been collected for possible analysis. The Michigan DNR asks that if people encounter a chick on the ground, which might happen as the birds learn to fly, to contact the DNR Southeast Michigan peregrine falcon nest coordinator at 989-313-0283. Other Peregrine falcon nests this season in Southeast Michigan include one above the Old County Building in downtown Mount Clemens, where three chicks had hatched.
