Permits for open burning will be suspended across the state of Michigan in response to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order “Stay Home, Stay Safe.”

“We need to make sure our emergency response resources are available where they are needed at this time,” Dan Laux, fire supervisor for the DNR Forest Resources Division, said in a press release on Thursday. “Less open burning means less potential for escaped fires, and that means staff can deal with other, more critical needs.”

Officials said that open burning in some parts of the state may still be allowed in areas where the ground is still snow-covered.

In the southern part of the Lower Peninsula, burn permits are issued by local fire departments and government offices. 

In the northern part of the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula, permits are issued through the DNR’s website. 

Residents should continue to check with their burn permit providers for updates for information about when the restrictions will be lifted.