By Linda Stphan and WNMU's Nicole Walton
An explosive fire in the Eastern Upper Peninsula that had burned 9,500 acres as of this morning has now nearly doubled in size to 17,000 acres. The state Natural Resources Department says multiple structures have been lost and more are threatened by the Duck Lake Fire in Luce County.
Officials say highly flammable jack pines are spurring the blaze toward Lake Superior. The Red Cross has set up a shelter in the nearby town of Newberry. The fire ignited Wednesday by lightning.
A second fire, started Sunday also by a lightning strike, continues to burn in the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. At last report that fire had burned 3,200 acres and is 65 percent contained.
Earlier today, officials with the Seney Refuge told WNMU in Marquette that weather is making containment efforts at both fires difficult.
“High winds and dry conditions are not exactly helpful, but, like I say, the crews have been doing a pretty good job of containing it. They’ve had a lot of help from the air with some air tankers and helicopters dropping a fair amount of water for three days,” said Jennifer McDonough.
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