LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Wildfires continue to rage across Canada, and firefighters with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are stepping in to help douse the flames.
DNR officials said 15 firefighters have joined the efforts in Canada to contain the massive blazes, some of which span 500,000 acres. More could join the efforts soon.
Jeff Vasher, the Resource Protection Manager for the Michigan DNR’s Lower Peninsula, explained the purpose of the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact. “It’s Manitoba, Ontario, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin,” said Vasher. “When they need help, we go help them, and if we need help, they’ll come help us.”
In addition, he explained to the media that firefighting approaches in Canada differ from wildfire responses in the U.S.
“In Canada, you can’t use equipment like bulldozers and that. So what they’re doing is using hand tools to take away the fuel, take it down to mineral soil to try to slow it down and then mopping up, putting water on it,” stated Vasher.
Meanwhile, Michigan has spent a good portion of its summer under hazy skies because of wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada. In addition, the Air Quality Index remains poor.
