Black skies after structure fire causes multiple pop up brush fires

UPDATE — 6:00 a.m. May 24th, 2016 (EDT)

A home is considered a total loss after a fire in Marquette Township Monday afternoon.

Smoke could be seen from as far as six miles away from the scene. The fire began around 4:00 p.m., swallowing up a home off South Vandenboom Road.

With the fire in a wooded area, firefighters from Marquette Township, Negaunee and Chocolay had to work through an elongated two-hour stretch to contain the damage. It wasn’t just the house they had to worry about, but developing brush fires throughout the two-acre area, as well.

A family lost their home in the fire, but no one was hurt in the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

MARQUETTE — A house fire in the woods has ignited small pop up brush fires in Marquette Township on South Vandenboom road. Firefighters are currently battling the blaze. At least five fire trucks are on scene. There are multiple reports of black skies in Marquette.

Warm, dry weather has brought the danger of fire to the forefront in the Upper Peninsula once again.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning early Monday morning for the entire Upper Peninsula and parts of northeast Wisconsin. A combination of warm breezy weather and low relative humidity resulted in the warning. Citizens are asked to avoid burning today.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is not permitting open debris burning in any county in the U.P. at the moment.

The Red Flag Warning is expected to be in effect until 8:00 p.m. EDT. Stay with ABC 10 for the latest updates. This is a developing story. ABC 10 will have the latest tonight at 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the newscast. We’ll pass along more information as it becomes available. No one is believed to be hurt in the fire.