(WXYZ) — Firefighters in Northern Michigan are working to contain a wildfire near Houghton Lake that started Sunday afternoon.
According to the Michigan DNR, the fire was reported early Sunday afternoon, located east of Old U.S. Highway 27, near the border of Clare and Roscommon counties.
In an update on Tuesday, the DNR said the fire is about 95% contained, thanks to a half-inch of rain overnight.
The fire spread to 101 acres, according to the DNR, and crews were using a drone with thermal imaging to look for hot spots.
The site of the fire includes a marshy area of mixed pine and hardwood.
“It has been a good effort with some tough conditions Sunday and Monday,” said Jeff Vasher, resources protection manager for the DNR. Dry conditions, unseasonable heat and gusty winds all were challenges.
Fire danger in Northern Michigan is either "very high" or "high," according to the DNR, due to warm temperatures, low humidity and extremely dry vegetation.
On Friday, burn permits were suspended to help prevent additional wildfires, so the DNR is investigating the cause.
The rain is not enough to mitigate dry conditions in much of the state, according to the DNR.
