With a holiday weekend approaching and prominent yellow trailers tempting residents to stock up on fireworks, fire officials urge even more caution than usual in the handling and use of the sparklers, spinners, rockets, and other items designed to add a flash of brilliance to summer celebrations.

As of June 15, Northeast Michigan was in a moderate drought, with southern portions of Alcona County in a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Recent rains may help green up grass, but dead, moistureless kindling still underlies the grass, ready to catch fire quickly, according to Paul Rogers, fire prevention specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Michigan normally reaches the current dryness in early to mid-August. Low snow cover over the winter and little rain this spring allowed the soil to dry out quickly, Rogers said.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Fire Officer Mark Hansen cautions residents about the fire hazard posed by fireworks.

Even grass that looks green will burn in such dry conditions, Rogers said, as will the soil itself, with fire following roots and organic material and smoldering underground.

In such unusually dry conditions, residents should handle fireworks with extra caution, said Mark Hansen, DNR forest fire officer assigned to the Alpena field office of the Atlanta management unit.

In ideal situations, propellant, such as that found in mortars and roman candles, carries a ball or rocket into the air to create an overhead display. The propellant burns off and pieces that fall to the ground are no longer hot, Hansen said.

If such a firework were to accidentally or intentionally fire at an angle, however, the propellant would create a trail of sparks and heat from the launching point to the explosion point. Any dry leaf, needle, or stick in its path could ignite, with extra-dry conditions upping the chance the fire could spread.

Residents considering lighting fireworks in yards or streets should keep buckets of water or hoses nearby to extinguish any sparks and for discarding hot materials, Hansen cautioned. He also warned that dead, dry debris on roofs could ignite should stray sparks land there from an overhead firework display.

News Photo by Julie Riddle With firefighting equipment behind him at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources station in Alpena on Tuesday, Mark Hansen, DNR forest fire officer, explains the need for caution during drought conditions.

Fire officials also urged other precautions to prevent fires during the drought. This spring, the DNR fought fires sparked by lawn mowers, farm equipment, and chains dragging behind a trailer, according to Rogers.

One in three fires, including many of those fought across Alpena County this spring, start by improper burning of debris, Hansen said.

As of today, DNR prohibits open burning in Alpena, Presque Isle, or Montmorency counties. Alcona County residents may burn debris, according to DNR’s burn permits map.

Campers may light campfires even during burn prohibitions but should do so after dark, when the air’s moisture content is higher, Rogers said.

DNR alone battled more than 350 fires in Michigan this spring — far more than last year — and local fire departments addressed probably thousands more, Rogers said.

Northeast Michigan could see heavy rain Thursday and Friday nights, according to the National Weather Service station in Gaylord. Fire officials are keeping their fingers crossed.

“Believe me,” Rogers said. “We’re hoping for rain.”

Alpena residents may discharge fireworks between 11 a.m. and 11:45 p.m., June 29 to July 4.

Fireworks dos and don’ts

Tips for safe handling of fireworks, provided by the National Safety Council.

* Never allow young children to handle fireworks.

* Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

* Never light fireworks indoors or hold lighted fireworks in your hands.

* Only use fireworks away from people, houses, and flammable material.

* Never ignite devices in a container.

* Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.

* Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding.