GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Allegan Fire District Chief Nick Brink spoke to 13 ON YOUR SIDE Thursday afternoon on how quickly a fire can get out of control.
"We actually just had a wildland fire, I would say it was about an acre and a half," said Chief Brink. "I mean, it was no comparison to what the other folks did in Fennville. But it was started because of a very small leaf fire and the fire jumped probably 25 to 50 feet and started the woods on fire."
Although Chief Brink says they weren't at the Fennville area fire that burned about 250 acres Wednesday afternoon, his crews battled their own leaf fire.
"I mean, like I only had an acre and a half," said Brink. "And I had three departments with me a couple days ago. So it's, it's a big deal. It's a lot of work. And it's very dangerous. There's a lot of things that can happen as a result of a brush fire."
So why is there a high risk of fires across the state of Michigan?
Newaygo County's Director of Emergency Services Abby Watkins explains the lack of winter snow and wet spring may be responsible.
"Things are very dry right now," said Watkins. "The pine trees are dry. You can hear the leaves rustling on the ground leaves are dry and that's all good fuel for fires to develop."
While the 250-acre Allegan County fire is mostly contained, DNR Fire Prevention Specialist Paul Rogers explains how crews battle fires once they get out of control.
"We try and get a dirt line all the way around it six to eight feet wide," said Rogers. "And that allows not only that it will stop the spread of the fire if the wind isn't too high, but also allows the trucks to get in behind us and mop up all the operations and let the fire burn out to the line. And then it's contained, because there's no more fuel left."
The Department of Natural Resources is not issuing burn permits right now. Watkins told 13 On Your Side if you are caught illegally burning, that can come with hefty fines and you could be held responsible for any property damage it may cause, a long with emergency response fees.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.