It doesn’t take an expert to figure out fireworks and dry grass or leaves are a bad combination; the fire and heat that fireworks produce can easily set dry vegetation on fire.
With the July 4 holiday approaching, people need to be aware of this possible cause of a costly wildfire.
“Each year we see homes and other structures damaged or destroyed by fires caused by fireworks,” said Mark Hansen, Michigan State University Extension wildfire specialist. “In 2007, for instance, a wildfire near Saugatuck that was caused by fireworks destroyed three homes.”
Hansen said fireworks are a common cause of wildfires around the holiday because people may inadvertently light fireworks too close to combustible vegetation. Chances are that the average person would never think of lighting an entire box of matches in or near a field of dry grass or a bed of leaves; lighting fireworks in that same vegetation could be even worse.
Hansen said avoiding wildfires saves homes and buildings but also taxpayer dollars to pay for the use of fire department resources. A typical fire run with one truck and crew will cost between $700 and $1,200, Hansen noted, adding that often more than one truck responds to such a call.
“People really underestimate both the number of wildfires we have in Michigan and the number of homes that are damaged or destroyed,” he said. “Only a few weeks ago, the Black River Falls fire near Marquette in the Upper Peninsula destroyed more than 20 homes, and between 10 and 15 other structures. That fire was not caused by fireworks, but the outcome can be the same. The Pinery fire, which also occurred in mid-May, did not destroy homes, but it did burn more than 600 acres of Upper Peninsula wildland.”
For more information on wildfire behavior, pick up a copy of Extension bulletin E-2882, “Understanding Wildfire Behavior in Michigan,” at any MSU Extension county office, or visit with your local fire department or area Michigan Department of Natural Resources fire officer.
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