Wildfire season has been building recently as the snow melts and weather improves. Recent warm days and a dry April, which has lacked widespread spring showers, are keeping firefighters busy responding to numerous blazes, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

"Many people do not realize that more than 90 percent of wildfires are caused by humans, and most of those occur during April and May," said DNR Wildfire Prevention Specialist Paul Kollmeyer. "Careless burning is the leading cause of wildfires in Michigan."

Firefighting agencies have designated April 19-25 as Wildfire Prevention Week in Michigan due to the importance of preventing wildfires during the critical spring fire season. Late April typically has some of the highest fire danger of the year which was illustrated in 2008 when a 1,400 acre blaze occurred April 24 during Wildfire Prevention Week. This fire jumped I-75 and burned into the City of Grayling destroying several structures.

It is extremely important that people exercise caution when burning any yard or household debris. Kollmeyer stressed these tips:

• Always obtain a burn permit before lighting any rakings or brush piles. Northern Michigan residents can easily obtaining a permit by going to www.michigan.gov/burnpermit, or calling 866-922-2876 to get the latest fire danger and permit information. Southern Michigan burning information can be obtained from your local fire official or government office. When burn permits are not being issued, it's due to outdoor burning being prohibited by law or high fire danger makes it unsafe to burn, which has been the case in many locations already this year.

• Always have garden tools available to scrape away combustible vegetation and never leave a fire unattended even for a minute. Be sure all fires are completely out before you do leave. Keep a good water supply on hand and use plenty to douse any remaining embers; covering a fire with soil can insulate the heat allowing coals to smolder for days.

• A person who negligently allows a fire to escape or is burning illegally can receive a fine and be charged for the cost of putting out the escaped fire. However, wildfires cost everyone through resource and property damage. By preventing fires we all can benefit from the savings.

For more information on wildfire prevention, go online at www.michigan.gov/dnr-fire.