Fire officials with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources say conditions in the northern two-thirds of the state have worsened dramatically over the past several weeks as state and local firefighters have struggled to keep homes and other personal property from burning up along with the tinder-dry woods.

The danger of wildfire remains high across much of northern Michigan. In many areas, the dead leaves, grasses and other vegetation that remain from last year contain very little moisture. These fuels dry quickly, even after a rain.

Needle-bearing trees, such as jack pine, red pine and scotch pine, also are at their lowest moisture content during the spring. This allows these fuels to carry fire readily, and fires in these pine types are capable of creating "crown fires," when fire is carried from one tree top to another.

"When these conditions occur, firefighting efforts become extremely difficult and dangerous," said Bill Sterrett, manager of the DNR's Cadillac Forest Management Unit, which has responsibility for providing wildfire protection for over a million acres of state and private land over eight counties in the west central part of the state.

Over the past 25 years, the number of rural homes in northern Michigan, both permanent and recreational, has increased by more than 70%. Homes built in the forest soon can become part of the fuel complex if wildlife safety precautions are ignored.

"This has made protecting these rural homes a top priority for DNR and local firefighters," Sterrett said. "We cannot allow a fire to burn unchecked for very long without endangering valuable natural resources, personal property and lives."

A good example of what can happen, Sterrett said, is the Stephan Bridge Road Fire near Grayling. In May 1990, this fire burned 76 homes and 125 outbuildings while consuming 5,916 acres of forestland in just four hours. At one point the fire burned at a rate of 277 feet per minute.

However, it is not always the large fire that does damage. In 2005, a 17-acre fire burning in grasses along Lake Michigan in Oceana County burned two homes, one garage and two outbuildings, and damaged 19 docks.

In both cases, there were homes in the direct path of these fires that did not burn.

Why did some homes burn and others not?

Part of the answer lies in the fact that these homeowners took the necessary precautions and maintenance to make their homes "Firewise."

Firewise is a nationally recognized program, which helps homeowners with ideas and suggestions to make their home less susceptible to the possible damages of wildfire.

Homeowners can do many things to help mitigate the possibility of fire damages. These can be as easy as keeping the yard raked and cleaning the rain gutters, or can go as far as having trees removed, and landscaping with fire-resistance species.

Sterrett offered these tips for making your home Firewise:

• Remove all dead leaves and dry vegetation from around your home. Keep gutters clean.
• Keep your lawn mowed and raked of dead grasses.
• Store stacked firewood a safe distance from the home.
• Keep a distance of 30 feet well trimmed and clean around your home, to allow fire suppression equipment to operate if necessary.
• Have an emergency plan, with emergency numbers posted in easily seen locations.
• Remove highly flammable plants and shrubs, and replace with less-flammable plants
• Use construction materials, such as brick and masonry, where possible.
• Clearly mark your address.
• Have good access for your driveway. Provide a width of least 12 feet, with ample space for emergency fire equipment to turn around.

The DNR has partnered with MSU Extension to provide information that property owners can do to make their home Firewise. Much of this information is available online at www.firewise.msu.edu, or by contacting your local MSU Extension office.

With the number of homes increasing in the rural areas, where firefighting resources may not be as readily available, the DNR urges everyone to take the necessary action to protect their homes and property from wildfire.

"Fire protection is rural areas is much different than in cities, and not just because water usually is not as readily available," Sterrett said. "It takes longer for firefighters to get to a fire, and rural fire departments generally have fewer personnel and fire trucks available to protect homes and property when a wildfire occurs."

But just as important, Sterrett said, is preventing a fire from starting in the first place.

Michigan averages 8,000 to 10,000 wildfires a year. More than 90% of Michigan's wildfires are caused by humans, and over one-third of those fires are started by burning yard waste or brush.

A burning permit is required any time the ground is not snow covered for open burning. Free burning permits are available online at www.michigan.gov/burnpermit, or by calling 866-922-BURN (2876).

Michigan's forests provide beautiful places to live and recreate, so it is important that you accept the responsibility of being fire safe in the outdoors and implement Firewise in your neighborhood. Take a moment to evaluate your home or cabin, and ask yourself the following questions:

Would my home survive a wildfire? Can the local fire department safely access and defend my home or cabin from fire? Are trees, limbs, brush and leaves a safe distance from my home?

You can ease your mind and take action to protect your home and property from wildfire by contacting a local DNR field office or by visiting www.firewise.org.