U.P. wildfire evacuations lifted as Ridge and Craig Lake fires settle

MARQUETTE COUNTY, Mich. — Evacuation orders tied to two Upper Peninsula wildfires were lifted Monday after cooler temperatures and higher humidity slowed the flames, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.

The Ridge Fire, about 10 miles northwest of Marquette and north of the Dead River Basin, was estimated at 450 acres and about 20% contained. The Craig Lake Fire, north of Craig Lake State Park in Baraga County, was estimated at 400 acres and about 25% contained, according to a Monday DNR release.

By Tuesday evening, Oct. 13, the DNR had revised its Craig Lake numbers, putting that fire at about 600 acres and 20% contained. The Ridge Fire held at 450 acres and 20% contained, the agency said.

Rain that fell Monday night and on and off Tuesday kept both fires quiet. The DNR measured about an inch on the Ridge Fire and 0.6 inch on Craig Lake. Crews used the lull to reach remote stretches, attacking the Ridge Fire’s edge with hose lays, leaf blowers and hand lines and cutting containment lines by hand at Craig Lake. The agency stressed that neither fire is out. Drought has let them burn as deep as 2 feet into the duff, the layer of decaying material on the forest floor, where rain alone can’t reach. Fire at that depth can burn through the roots of trees that still look healthy and drop them without warning. The wet weather also turned access roads muddy and rutted and left exposed rock slick for firefighters.

Both fires were spotted Friday, Oct. 9, by a DNR pilot — Craig Lake at 1:48 p.m. and Ridge at 3:55 p.m. On Tuesday the DNR said lightning started the Craig Lake Fire. Storms crossed the U.P. from Oct. 5 to Oct. 8, and the agency said a strike can smolder for days before wind pushes it into dry fuel. The cause of the Ridge Fire is still under investigation. Rugged terrain has limited where crews can put equipment, the DNR said, and parts of the Craig Lake fire can be reached only on foot.

The Marquette County Sheriff’s Office lifted the evacuation order for residents along County Road 510 who had been told to leave. North Basin Drive residents moved from “Set” back to “Ready” under the Ready, Set, Go! protocol, meaning they should still pack an emergency bag, clear brush near homes and watch for updates. The Noquemanon Trail system west of the County Road 510 trailhead remains closed.

“We’re grateful for the changing weather conditions that have allowed us to make some containment progress on both fires,” DNR incident commander Nate Stearns said in the release. “Public safety and firefighter safety remain our top priority.”

A north wind pushed heavy smoke into communities south of the fires. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued an air quality alert for Baraga, Marquette, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties, with “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” and “Unhealthy” levels forecast. Officials advised people with heart or lung disease to limit outdoor time when smoke is thick.

As of Monday the DNR had 34 firefighters on the Ridge Fire and 17 on Craig Lake, plus an 18-person incident management team. By Tuesday it listed 53 on the Ridge Fire and 19 on Craig Lake, with a 19-person team managing both. Michigan State Police, the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management, Baraga County Emergency Management, the Michigamme-Spurr Fire Department and DNR Law Enforcement are assisting. A temporary flight restriction of 5 nautical miles and below 3,500 feet remains over both fires; drones are barred from the area.

A Wednesday morning report from WNMU-FM in Marquette carried the same acreage and containment figures — Ridge at about 450 acres and 20% contained, Craig Lake at about 600 acres and 20% — with more than 70 firefighters on the two fires. The station also noted the muddy roads, deep-burning duff and green trees falling without warning.

The DNR reminded residents to check Michigan.gov/BurnPermit before burning yard debris or lighting a campfire.

Updated Oct. 14, 2026: Added the DNR’s Tuesday evening, Oct. 13, update (Craig Lake about 600 acres and 20% contained, up from about 400 acres and 25% on Monday; lightning cause; rain totals; larger crews; Ridge unchanged at 450 acres and 20%). A Wednesday morning WNMU-FM report carried the same figures. Story summaries that still said Craig Lake was about 25% contained were corrected. Sources: the DNR’s Oct. 13 release, WZMQ and WNMU-FM.

Updated Oct. 15, 2026: The Michigan DNR said Wednesday that the Ridge Fire was estimated at 434 acres and 30% contained and the Craig Lake Fire at 604 acres and 50% contained, with 41 and 24 firefighters on those fires. The DNR also took management of the Black River Fire south of Wakefield (382 acres, 50% contained). CBS Detroit carried the same figures Thursday morning. See also our Oct. 14 follow-up. Sources: Michigan DNR, Oct. 14, 2026; CBS Detroit, Oct. 15, 2026.

Sources:
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, “Mother Nature gives DNR firefighters a boost: Progress made on containment of Ridge, Craig Lake fires,” Oct. 12, 2026, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/about/newsroom/releases/2026/10/12/mother-nature-gives-dnr-firefighters-a-boost
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, air quality alert for Oct. 12, 2026, https://www.michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/press-releases/2026/10/12/air-quality-alert
Michigan Department of Natural Resources, “Rain provides help, poses some hazards for fire suppression on Ridge and Craig Lake fires,” Oct. 13, 2026, https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/about/newsroom/releases/2026/10/13/rain-provides-help
Kevin Hodge, WZMQ 19 News, “Lightning confirmed to be cause for Craig Lake Fire,” Oct. 13, 2026, https://wzmq19.com/news/369387/lightning-confirmed-to-be-cause-for-craig-lake-fire/
Nicole Walton, WNMU-FM / Public Radio 90, “Rain brings added concerns to crews fighting Baraga and Marquette County wildfires,” Oct. 14, 2026, https://www.wnmufm.org/fire/2026-10-14/rain-brings-added-concerns-to-crews-fighting-baraga-and-marquette-county-wildfires
Photo: daveynin, “On top of Summit Peak during wildfire smoke (55567739352).jpg,” July 18, 2026, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:On_top_of_Summit_Peak_during_wildfire_smoke_(55567739352).jpg

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