Someone is Setting Fires on Purpose at Sleeping Bear Dunes?
The words fire and national park are usually two things you don't want to hear in a sentence, but fires are apparently being set at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
I have been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore quite a few times over the last 6 years. Usually, during my family vacation, we do a group kayak trip down the Platte River and it empties out into Lake Michigan right at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
If you haven't been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, it is absolutely gorgeous with incredible views, hiking, kayaking, swimming, camping, and fishing. You can forget about the huge dunes of the Dune Climb, great beaches, and the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. There is a lot to keep a family busy during a vacation and lots of great places to do absolutely nothing.
Fires Are Being Sent Intentionally at Sleep Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
At first, I was like what? Someone is setting fires on purpose at Sleep Bear Dunes? There is actually a good reason for this and it is being handled by professionals and not arsonists.
The technical term for this is "Prescribed Fires" or "Prescribed Burns" which is used as a controlled application of fire by a team of fire experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire.
According to WOOD, there are just over 500 acres of forests that need the prescribed burn in two different locations. The areas of the burns are between Pyramid Point and Travers Lake Road north of M-22. One is north of Little Travers Lake and the other is north of Shell Lake. The burn began on Tuesday so all the nearby roads and trails will be closed until the burn period is over.
