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

The Michigan Wolverines have been hot on the recruiting trail coming out of official visits. They have received commitments from eight players — including one on Saturday — since the beginning on June, and more appear to be on the horizon, perhaps as soon as today.

In today’s Recruiting Roundup, we will dive into why Michigan’s latest commitment decided on playing college football in Ann Arbor, a four-star edge making his commitment today, and a really positive update on a four-star wide receiver.

Four-star edge expands on commitment to U-M

On Saturday afternoon, 2025 four-star edge Julius Holly became the latest player to commit to the Wolverines. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder hails from the state of Georgia and chose Michigan over his other three finalists, Georgia, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

But why Michigan? Holly spoke about that and more with On3’s Chad Simmons.

“Since that visit to Michigan, me and my family have been talking Big Blue every day, all day,” Holly said. “Georgia was a close runner up, and all four schools were great, but the in the end it is Michigan because of the people up there. Going into the visit, I knew about their academics and the football history, but the feeling around the people made it different.

This was a pretty quick recruitment for the Wolverines, as new defensive line coach Lou Esposito offered Holly a scholarship on May 20 and got him up for his official visit the first weekend in June. He took subsequent official visits to his other three finalists, but ultimately chose the Wolverines.

Holly is the fourth defensive lineman to commit to Michigan in this class, joining in-state four-star Bobby Kanka, four-star Jaylen Williams and four-star Nate Marshall. Kanka is set for the interior, while Marshall and Williams are both flex guys, making Holly the first true edge defender to join Michigan’s 2025 class.

Top edge target announcing commitment today

While one four-star edge in the 2025 class joined the Wolverines over the weekend, another very well could be on the way as soon as today.

Over the weekend, 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman reported that four-star Marco Jones is set to make his commitment today, July 2. He will make his announcement on his YouTube channel and will choose between Michigan, Texas A&M, USC and Texas.

Jones took official visits to all four of his finalists in June, with Michigan being his first destination. There are predictions in for Texas A&M, so it’s not looking likely he will end up in Ann Arbor, but with recruiting, anything can happen.

At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Jones is one of the premier edge talents in the country. He ranks No. 157 overall, No 15 along the edge and No. 14 from the state of California, per 247Sports’ composite. Should Jones choose Michigan, Esposito would have landed four (!) top targets along the defensive line since taking over as defensive line coach in March.

Top WR target expands on recent OV, returning this month

Four-star wide receiver Andrew Marsh is one of Ron Bellamy’s biggest overall targets in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-1, 173-pounder from Katy, Texas was originally intending on officially visiting this fall, but instead canceled his trip to Oklahoma and went to Ann Arbor instead for the final official visit weekend of June. It’s no wonder that the Wolverines have received numerous expert predictions to eventually land him.

In speaking with On3’s EJ Holland ($), Marsh spoke highly of his time at Michigan, saying he, “felt like a priority and like someone they really want up there.”

Part of the reason he felt like a priority — the aforementioned Bellamy. He has formed a tight relationship with Marsh, and that is paying off big time for Michigan.

“(Seeing Bellamy) was good as well,” Marsh said. “It’s always good to see him. I know he was happy that I came back up there. It was good getting to talk to him again. He’s really personable. You can talk to him about anything. We vibe on every level — football and outside of football. You can talk to him about whatever. He’s a really good person.”

The No. 48 overall prospect in his class, per the 247Sports composite, will be back in Ann Arbor later this month for the yearly BBQ at the Big House, and he also intends on visiting Washington that same weekend.

Finally, Holland reported that Marsh is “strongly considering” moving up his timeline from November to August. If that happens, that could spell great news for the Wolverines.

Quick Hitters

• Brady Hart, Michigan’s four-star quarterback commit in the 2026 class, shined this past weekend at the Under Armour Future 50 event in Florida. He earned On3’s MVP for Day 2, and was also a standout among evaluators on Day 1. He’s already a top-100 talent, but it appears he could rise even higher in the rankings.
• Get to know the name Gregory Patrick. He’s a 2026 four-star offensive line recruit from the state of Michigan. He spoke with 247Sports’ Brice Marich ($) about how hard the coaching staff is pushing for him — very hard, by the sounds of it — and how the aforementioned Hart committing to the Wolverines is helping their cause. Oh, and he may be back for the BBQ at the Big House.
• Another 2026 name to know: Kevin Brown. He’s nearly a five-star player on the 247Sports composite and just earned his offer from Michigan on Saturday (it was a long time coming). At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, this kid — yes, kid, even at that size — is an athletic freak.

Ricardo Delgado, II, the leader of a large-scale drug conspiracy operating in the Saginaw-Bay area, was convicted by a federal jury of multiple drug and weapons offenses, including drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, possession of multiple machineguns and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Delgado, 51, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a machinegun, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered silencer, and use of communication facility to commit a drug offense.

Court documents revealed Delgado was involved in a wide-ranging drug conspiracy that involved the importation of numerous kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl from Mexico for distribution in the Saginaw-Bay area.

FBI agents learned from a court-authorized wiretap that Delgado was seeking retaliation for the theft of his drugs from a subordinate and that he ordered that subordinate to exact revenge.

However, the plan was thwarted by authorities. In addition, following Delgado’s arrest, law enforcement officers seized 13 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of fentanyl, 12 firearms, including two machine guns and two silencers, and over $200,000 in cash from the 51-year-old’s residence.

When he is sentenced, Delgado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 55 years and a maximum of life in prison.