By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


A few isolated storms this week have not put a damper on fire risk levels and a ban on open burning remains in effect in the Hartland-Deerfield Fire Authority boundaries.

The Authority is under an open burning ban until further notice due to very dry conditions. Recreational fires are excluded. As for how long it could last, Hartland Fire Chief Adam Carroll said it’s not looking pretty despite some storms being forecast. Carroll says as far as the National Weather Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are concerned while fire danger is certainly high, they’re not doing a statewide ban yet because humidity is high enough and other factors. Carroll says the difference is that’s not what is being experienced locally. He says a number of fields, especially ones that are not farmed, have a lot of dead grass and weeds standing. Even if there is a little bit of rain, he says it dries out almost immediately. Carroll says it’s not the ground they’re worried about because the ground has decent moisture content - it’s all of the standing mostly dead weeds and things. Especially due to the lack of rain, he says even what would be green is brown right now and they’re just trying to stay ahead.

The Hartland-Deerfield Fire Authority boundaries appear to be the only area with a burn ban in effect. The Brighton, Howell, Hamburg, Green Oak, Fowlerville, Unadilla and Putnam Township Fire Departments told WHMI no burn bans are currently in place. However, Hamburg Fire Chief Nick Miller asked that all residents use extra caution while following their burn ordinance.