All outdoor open burning and recreational fires are banned in the city of Muskegon Heights until Sunday, April 25.
The Muskegon Heights Fire Department announced the burn ban Saturday, April 3 after a “significant uptick” in outdoor fire emergencies, according to a news release from Fire Chief Christopher Dean.
The department responded to outdoor fires on 10 days of an 18-day period. “These recent fires cause undue risk to human life and have damaged property on several occasions,” Dean said in a statement.
The use of charcoal and propane grills for cooking food is still allowed, but the order prohibits campfires for cooking unless in an enclosed container. A 2019 ordinance in Muskegon Heights allows the fire chief to prohibit open burning when conditions are dangerous.
Spring conditions and dry weather have created a fire risk in Muskegon County. The U.S. Drought Monitor considers the county abnormally dry while portions of lower Michigan remain a moderate drought.