Michigan Upper Peninsula Campgrounds Closed Due to Fire

It's not that often, if ever, that we hear of any wildfires at campgrounds in Michigan's  Upper Peninsula.

But unfortunately that's the case over this past weekend. How sad that roughly 10 acres of campgrounds and trails had to be closed down on Saturday, August 13,due to a wildfire.

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According to mlive.com:

The cause of the fire at Isle Royale National Park remains under investigation, according to a Sunday press release from National Park Services.

Based on what I have read so far, there haven't been any reports of loss of life or any injuries, which is a good thing.

I visited Isle Royale National Park many years ago and I have to say I remember it as a wilderness of forests, lakes, and several waterways.

One of the highlights of this National Park is the Greenstone Ridge. Mlive,com tells us more:

The Greenstone Ridge Trail links the Windigo Harbor in the west and Rock Harbor in the east. The 19th-century Rock Harbor Lighthouse has a small museum. Dive sites in the lake include several shipwrecks. 

So how serious was this Upper Peninsula wildfire? Serious enough to bring in a single engine air tanker which dropped about 4,000 gallons of water on the fire late in the day.

This all started out as a small fire and then grew much larger as the day went on. Mlive.com adds:

Isle Royale firefighters responded to the area and discovered a small fire burning at the junction of the Tobin Harbor trail and Mt. Franklin trail. The initial assessment measured the fire at about five acres. Visitors were evacuated from Three Mile and Lane Cove campgrounds.

There are closures in place until further notice for Lane Cove Trail and Campground, as well as Mount Franklin Trail. If you would like to check out the complete list, please click on the above link.