News File Photo An Alpena Township firefighter kneels down behind some brush to spray water on a fire in this News File Photo

ALPENA — Don’t throw that cigarette butt out the window, fire officials caution.

With grasses and leaves not yet greened up and residents itching to tidy their yards as temperatures rise, the next few weeks offer conditions ripe for the sparking and spread of grass fires as fire season arrives in Northeast Michigan.

Though winter has lingered late this year, the snowflakes that fell in recent days won’t protect residents from the quick spark-up that’s probable this time of year if flames reach dry grass or other debris, fire officials say.

Residents can help protect themselves and their neighbors by staying vigilant when burning yard debris, keeping a water source nearby, and making sure yard and debris fires are completely doused before walking away, said Andy Marceau, community risk reduction officer for the Alpena Fire Department.

“Put it out. Stir it around,” Marceau said. “Just like Smokey the Bear says.'”

The winter’s low snowfall means grass and other field plants didn’t get packed down. Those upright plants will dry out quickly and provide easy tinder for the spread of a grass fire, said Jennifer Hansen, forest fire supervisor for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Atlanta unit.

Weather conditions so far this spring have kept grass fires to a minimum, with low temperatures cooling grasses, sticks, leaves, and other flammable debris and making them less likely to catch fire, Hansen reported.

Late snow and unseasonable coolness may have also made residents less interested in getting outside for yard work, meaning less temptation to burn debris. That could change as temperatures rise in coming days, she said.

DNR fire officials daily track humidity, rainfall, temperature, and wind speed to determine the day’s fire danger.

Earlier this week, with low temperatures and high humidity, Northeast Michigan’s fire risk was low, but that changed by Thursday, when the DNR rated Alpena County danger level as high.

The DNR anticipates a very high risk today, when high winds will exacerbate the danger posed by a dropping humidity and rising temperatures, Hansen said.

While outlying residents can burn debris – as long as they do it safely – Alpena residents may not burn leaves or other yard waste, Marceau said.

Residents may create recreational campfires but must use clean, dry wood, he said.

Any fire poses greater risk in a city than in the country. No resident wants to be the cause of their neighbor’s house catching on fire, Marceau warned.

City firefighters have had to respond several times this spring when city residents cleaning their yards burned debris, causing nuisance smoke and a danger to their neighborhood, he said.

In past years, sparks from passing trains caused substantial damage by igniting numerous fires in the city and township.

People flicking cigarettes out their car window, without knowing the condition of the environment around them, can pose more danger than they realize, Marceau said.

“People don’t think that they can start a fire that way,” he said, “but they absolutely can.”

He urged residents to take advantage of yard debris drop-off and curbside pickup options and reminded those allowed to burn that, even if the conditions seem safe, a fire that gets out of hand is the responsibility of the person who started it.

In Arizona, firefighters are battling blazes consuming more than 19,000 acres.

“We’re not them,” Marceau said. “And we don’t wanna be.”

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693 or jriddle@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jriddleX.

To check on burn safety level

To check on burn permit status by county, visit michigan.gov/burnpermit or call 866-922-BURN (866-922-2876).

To discard yard waste

Alpena residents may drop off bagged lawn materials from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 7 at the Public Works Service Center, 1001 Long Lake Ave.

Curbside pickup of yard waste will be available to Alpena residents next week, following the schedule below. Bagged lawn materials and brush piles no larger than six feet by six feet may be placed at the curb no sooner than two days before the scheduled pickup day.

Monday: East of Ripley Boulevard and south of Washington Avenue

Tuesday: North of the river and east of Chisholm Street, from 14th Avenue to city limits

Wednesday: West of Ripley Boulevard and south of Washington Avenue

Thursday: North of Washington Avenue and west of Chisholm Street, to city limits