Wildfire near Grayling, Michigan, burns more than 3,000 acres; emergency evacuation order lifted

Firefighters were working Sunday to contain a wildfire near Grayling, Michigan, that grew to more than 3,000 acres a day earlier, officials said. 

The wildfire, which is now estimated to be 2,400 acres large, forced temporary evacuations and closed I-75 for most of Saturday, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said in a news release. 

I-75 has since reopened and the evacuation order has been lifted. The cause of the fire is not yet available, the DNR said. 

Michigan State Police, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and more than 10 local partners are assisting with the fire. The Red Cross is assisting people who evacuated the area. Shelter is available at Beaver Creek Township Hall, the DNR said. 

When did the wildfire in Grayling, Michigan, start?

The wildfire started at around 1 p.m. Saturday in Crawford County, which is 4 miles southeast of Grayling, the DNR said. The fire was moving west and southwest, which threatened multiple buildings. 

What caused the wildfire in Grayling, Michigan? 

No cause has been determined, but unprecedented hot and dry conditions in Michigan this time of year have created extreme fire danger.

“The wildfire has produced an abundance of smoke. Visibility may be reduced on roadways,” the DNR said in the release. “Limit exposure to wildfire smoke by staying indoors with windows shut, especially if you have asthma or another respiratory condition.”

Michigan wildfire map