VIDEO: Multiple northern Michigan counties are currently in a drought. With wildfire season approaching, first responders are advising how you can do your part to prevent a fire. Mike Cederholm, the city of Frankfort Fire Chief, says all it takes is three key things to come together to source an ignition. Those three things are heat, fuel and oxygen. The snow on the ground can be deceiving, because it may lead you to believe it’s too wet for a fire to happen. “You can see the leaves and the grass even though the snow is there, there’s still plenty of fuel,” pointed out Chief Cederholm. As Chief Cederholm explained, seasonal and year-round residents alike look to start burning as much of the dead leaves and trees on their property as they can. In the rush to clean the property, most aren’t taking precautions to minimize the chance of a brush fire getting out of control. “I want my weekend free, I’m just gonna pile it up in a big heap and I’m gonna set it on fire, and then I’ll be done and then now I’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy,” described Chief Cederholm. “No, not a good choice. Do little piles because they’re manageable.”
