One of the two wildfires in Michigan's Upper Peninsula was started by lightning, officials say

Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News on Oct 14, 2026

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DETROIT — One of the Upper Peninsula wildfires that broke out four days ago was started by a lightning strike, and the cause of the other remains under investigation, officials said.

Firefighters continue to battle the fires, which prompted evacuations in Marquette and Baraga counties, officials said.

One of the fires, located north of Craig Lake State Park in Baraga County, is 25% contained and estimated to cover about 600 acres, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The department said Oct. 13 that the fire was about 20% contained.

"The Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the cause of the Craig Lake Fire as being a lightning strike," they said in a statement. "There were multiple storms that produced lightning across the Upper Peninsula between Oct. 5 and Oct. 8. It is not unusual for a lightning strike to smolder for a few days before weather conditions, such as high winds, cause it to spread into dry fuels, resulting in a wildfire."

The second, smaller fire, located northwest of Marquette and known as the Ridge Fire, is still about 20% contained, officials said Oct. 14. Officials said Oct. 13 that the fire was 20% contained.

Crews continue to look for access into remote areas and are making direct attacks on the fires where possible, according to the DNR.

Recent weather is helping firefighters, and blaze behavior is expected to remain minimal Wednesday, authorities said. However, increasing winds are a concern for firefighter safety due to falling trees.

"Although the rain is definitely helpful, we are also mindful of the additional hazards that it creates for our firefighters," Nate Stearns, DNR incident commander, said in a statement on Tuesday. "We’re focused on bringing everyone home safely."

A DNR pilot spotted the fires on Friday, discovering the Craig Lake Fire at 1:48 p.m. and the Ridge Fire at 3:55 p.m. The causes of both fires remain under investigation, officials said.

Residents of four Marquette County homes on County Road 510 were ordered to evacuate on Sunday, but the DNR said the evacuation order was lifted the next day.

Officials also said a temporary flight restriction remains in place over both the Ridge Fire and Craig Lake Fire for a 5-nautical-mile radius and below 3,500 feet.

The public has been asked to avoid the areas around both fires to avoid interrupting fire suppression efforts. Drones are also not permitted in the fire area.

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