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Dry, windy spring weather has put much of the Lower Peninsula at high risk for wildfires, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Areas of concern include southeast Michigan to the top of the Thumb. With rainy conditions today, the moisture is expected to help with the dry conditions. Everyone in the affected areas should take extra precautions to prevent accidental fires. Wait to burn yard debris, or use all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers or other outdoor machinery until later in the evening. In very dry conditions, heat from even a lawnmower or the exhaust pipe of an ATV can ignite dry grass. A trailer chain dragging on pavement also can create sparks. To find out if it’s safe to burn, get a free burn permit online at Michigan.gov/BurnPermit or contact your local municipality. So far this year, DNR fire staffers have fought 46 fires that burned nearly 360 acres in the state
