Too Dry in the Great Lakes state [View all]

[marmar]

NEWBERRY, Mich. -- A fast-moving wildfire fed by dry conditions in Michigan's Upper Peninsula continued to burn Saturday, consuming nearly 20,000 acres and prompting evacuations of homes and sections of a state park, officials said.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said the blaze it's calling the Duck Lake Fire was in an area of Luce County north of Newberry that includes Lake Superior State Forest land. It was detected Wednesday after a lightning strike and intensified Thursday, scorching the tops of jack pine trees as flames hurtled northward.

The fire nearly doubled in size and reached Lake Superior's southern shore Friday, said Ed Golder, DNR spokesman. It was being compared to the Sleeper Lake Fire of 2007, which burned more than 18,000 acres in the same area.

"The whole sky is just smoke," said Beverly Holmes, Newberry village manager, who was driving on a highway east of town. "It's like a heavy fog." ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.weather.com/news/wildfire-michigan-20120526