Despite recent rains, experts recommend caution with Fourth of July campfires, fireworks

Michigan is in good shape for Fourth of July fireworks and campfires thanks to recent rains throughout the state, but experts still recommended caution as the holiday approaches.

Only a portion of central Michigan is considered “abnormally dry” on the national drought monitor’s latest condition report. Above-average rainfall through the first half of the year staved off the kinds of dry conditions that could make campfires and fireworks especially dangerous.

It won’t last forever. Michigan’s typical dry season starts mid-July and picks up intensity in mid-August. This year likely will follow that pattern, said Paul Rogers, Michigan Department of Natural Resources fire prevention specialist.

“Conditions are actually far better than they were last year,” Rogers said, referring to the dry early summer in which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned Michigan residents not to light campfires. “We’re starting to see some typical seasonal drought, but a lot of areas around the state have gotten a fair amount of rain so conditions are fairly good.”

Around the Fourth of July holiday, careful fireworks and campfire use is top of mind for Michigan fire fighters even with the relatively good conditions.

Despite the relatively good statewide conditions, long grass or bushes could still be unexpectedly dry, Redford Township Fire Department Chief Scott Demhoff said. And they burn fast.

“People don’t realize it’s actually on fire until it’s too late,” he said.

Demhoff recommended people water their lawns before lighting campfires.

The biggest issue with campfires in Redford Township is smoke, Demhoff said. Township residents are supposed to burn seasoned wood, nothing recently cut, to keep smoke levels down and avoid filling a neighbor’s yard or house with smoke.

Humid weather also exacerbates the problem, since smoke hangs low to the ground and doesn’t dissipate, Demhoff said.

Fire safety also is on people’s minds in northern Michigan during the Fourth of July weekend, when the region experiences heavy vacation traffic. A 97-foot-tall Smokey Bear balloon will be parade marshal for the DTE Energy Foundation Cherry Royale Parade at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City on Saturday, marking the character’s 80th birthday.

“Smokey is a fire prevention icon,” Rogers said. “The balloon brings attention to Smokey’s very important cause.”

The cause? Forest fire prevention. That’s especially important to remember when lighting Fourth of July celebratory fireworks, Rogers said.

“We always ask people not to launch fireworks off into the woods because they can sit there and smolder for long amounts of time,” he said.

When it comes to campfires, Rogers said people should check that they are allowed before gathering kindling. The DNR determines when burn permits are needed in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. Municipalities or local fire departments make those decisions in the southern Lower Peninsula.

People should always have water and a shovel nearby before lighting campfires, Roger said, and never throw spent fireworks into a fire.

“You don’t know what’s left in them,” he said. “Put them into a bucket of water and let them soak down.”

The Fourth of July and weekend weather forecast is pretty typical for July, said Alex Manion, a National Weather Service meteorologist stationed in White Lake.

Temperatures will be in the mid-80s on the Fourth of July, with temperatures in Detroit reaching a few degrees warmer, Manion said. Winds should be light during the day. There could be showers or storms in the afternoon and evening, but only with a likelihood of about 25%, he said.

Meteorologists expect showers and storms on Friday afternoon, Manion said. The rest of the weekend likely will be dry, with temperatures around 80 degrees on Saturday and low to mid-80s on Sunday.

ckthompson@detroitnews.com