One hundred and thirty-two people died in fires in Michigan in 2022, according to the Michigan Fires Inspectors Foundation. This year, so far, 50 have died.
On average, the state reports firefighters respond to 10,000 to 12,000 wildfires each year. Total fires and related deaths have risen significantly between 2017 and 2022, with an 11 percent increase in fires and a 15 percent increase in related deaths.
And yet, the vast majority of firefighters do their job with little or no compensation relative to the risks they endure.
Out of 972 fire departments in Michigan, the majority (62 percent) are comprised of volunteers, 23 percent are mostly volunteer and the smallest portion (15 percent) consist of career or mostly career firefighters, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.