The U.S. state of Michigan has been the site of several major wildfires. The worst of these were in the lumbering era of the late 1800s, when lumbering practices permitted the buildup of large slash piles and altered forest growth patterns, which may have contributed to size of the wildfires. The scattered nature of settlements, lumber camps and Indian tribes during this time led to large uncertainties in determining the number of deaths and property losses. More recent fires have been much smaller and contained by modern firefighting methods, with better records of the destruction they caused. Almost all of the thousands of yearly fires in the state cover only a few acres, although 100-200 homes are damaged each year by these small fires.Wildfires and Firewise, Michigan State University, 02/03/2012
Wildfires This is a partial and incomplete list of wildfires in the US state of Michigan.
Fire Date Location Size (acres) Size (km2) Damage Deaths Notes Great Michigan Fires 1871 October 8 multiple locations over 1,500,000 over 6,000 thousands hundreds fires across Wisconsin, Michigan, and the cities of Holland, Manistee and Chicago Port Huron Fire of 1871 1871 October 8 The Thumb 1,200,000 4,850 thousands 50+ same day as the Great Michigan fire Peshtigo Fire 1871 October 8 Menominee County, Michigan hundreds of thousands hundreds thousands dozens21 dead listed by name from Birch Creek, near Menominee, JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS of the Twenty-Sixth Annual Session, 1873, MADISON, WIS. same day as the Great Chicago fire Thumb Fire 1881 September 5 The Thumb 1,000,000 4,000 over 2,000 structures 282 Ontonagon Fire 1896 August Ontonagon 228,000 923 hundreds 1 The Forests of Michigan, Donald I. Dickmann, Larry A. Leefers, University of Michigan Press, 2003, p. 164 Ishpeming fire 1896 October Ishpeming 64,000 259 unknown unknown The Forests of Michigan, Donald I. Dickmann, Larry A. Leefers, University of Michigan Press, 2003, p. 165 Metz Fire 1908 October 15 Metz 300,000 1,200 hundreds of structures 37MAJOR POST-LOGGING FIRES IN MICHIGAN: the 1900's Michigan State University Extension Service adapted from Betty Sodders' book, "Michigan on Fire", and from various issues of Michigan History magazine. Finally, parts of the text above have been paraphrased from C.M. Davis’ Readings in the Geography of Michigan (1964). Metz Remembers, The Alpena News, Mike Modrzynski, October 12, 2008 15 deaths occurred when the rescue train derailed in a burning lumber siding. Au Sable-Oscoda Fire 1911 July 11 Iosco County thousands dozens hundreds 5+ Acreage burned unclear because of numerous fires burning the area that yearThe Forests of Michigan, Donald I. Dickmann, Larry A. Leefers, University of Michigan Press, 2003, p. 168 Seney Fire 1976 August - October Seney National Wildlife Refuge 78,000 316 0 0 burned for months underground in peat Mack Lake fire 1980 May 5 Mio 25,000 101 44 homes 1 Wildfire History, Michigan State University, 10/17/2011, accessed July 14, 2012Meridian Boundary Fire2010 MayCrawford County8,58634.712 homes, 39 structures0Caused by a man burning leaves; the man had a permit to burn Duck Lake fire 2012 May–June Luce County 21,000 85 136 structures 0 Sleeper Lake Fire 2007 August Luce County 18,000 73 0 0 Horne Fire2021 AugustIsle Royale30000Primarily burned the area surrounding Monument RockBlue Lakes Fire2022 MayMontmorency, Cheboygan counties2,516>100This wildfire started from a lightning strike on May 11 which smoldered for several days before igniting nearby fuels (leaves, grass, bushes).Wilderness Trail Fire2023 JuneCrawford County2,44212.1$100,0000Caused by a campfire, 85% contained as of June 4
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