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Upper Peninsula fire risk is high; be careful

Warm, dry weather and windy conditions are expected in the Upper Peninsula over the next few days, boosting the risk of a wildfire. “Grasses have dried out and leaves are starting to drop, which adds a layer of fuel that can feed and speed the spread of a wildfire,” Paul Rogers, fire prevention specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said in a news release. “Make sure to check for a burn permit before you burn any yard debris and be careful of heat or sparks from equipment and off-road vehicles.” Unseasonably warm temperatures reaching the 70s and strong ...

Focusing this week on fire prevention

For Fire Prevention Week this week, the National Fire Protection Association has chosen the theme of “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging is a Superpower,” stressing safe practices for rechargeable batteries. This has added resonance locally, as a house fire April 21 in Kingsford that killed 45-year-old Deanna Juranek is thought to have been caused when an electric bicycle recharging exploded on the enclosed front porch. “Many devices used in our daily lives — phones, tablets, laptops, tools, toys, e-bikes and scooters — run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which ...

What to know about Prop 2 on Michigan’s ballot Nov. 3

Michigan is one of roughly half of the states in the country that allows citizens to collect signatures for voters to consider approving a law on the November statewide ballot. A certain threshold of signatures is required, as well as approval from the state’s board of canvassers. This year, voters will have a campaign finance law to consider — known as Prop 2 — that would prohibit many companies with government contracts, as well as state regulated utility companies, from making contributions to policymakers. The only other proposal facing voters is whether to hold a ...