Courtesy Photo A firefighter operates a tractor plow, creating a containment line by plowing down to bare soil.

The Blue Lakes Fire in the northern Lower Peninsula is 75% contained and estimated at about 2,200 acres, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced on Monday in a press release.

DNR firefighters and cooperating agencies have been working since Friday to contain the fire, which covers portions of Montmorency and Cheboygan counties.

The DNR indicated over the weekend that the fire started Wednesday with a lightning strike before spreading and turning into a wildfire, which was first reported around 1 p.m. on Friday.

The 2,200-acre spread of the fire was smaller than the weekend estimate due to improved mapping with firefighters at the scene, the DNR said in the release.

DNR Fire Public Information Officer Kerry Heckman said containment doesn’t necessarily mean the fire is out, but rather it is unlikely to spread beyond the containment lines.

“There may still be hot spots within the contained area,” she said in the release.

Heckman said in the release the uncontained portion of the fire line is mostly in low, wet areas that are difficult for firefighters to reach. Crews worked Monday in those areas to connect gaps in the containment line.

Although some roads have reopened, Blue Lakes Road between Hardwood Lake Road and Black River Road is still closed. The Black River is still closed between Blue Lakes Road and Clark Bridge Road until nearby hotspots can be identified and addressed.

Fire danger remains high in northern Michigan. Due to increased fire risk, the DNR recommends checking Michigan.gov/BurnPermit before any open burning.

Fire safety tips can be found at Michigan.gov/PreventWildfires.