One of the worst forest fires in Michigan history occurred in late May of 2012. A lighting strike sparked a fire that burned in just short of 22,000 acres in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Luce County near the Two Hearted River. Seasonal rains finally extinguished it after a week long fire fight by crews and volunteers from all over Michigan. On Andrew's birthday, August 16th, we woke up and it was raining on Drummond Island. Andrew decided it would be a perfect day (our family tradition is that the birthday honoree gets to choose the activity of their choice on their birthday and everyone else has to do it without complaint) to make the 3 hour drive to view the burn area. Being a that he is Forest Ecologist and Certified Burn Manager he has an interest fire ecology and wanted to see first hand the extent of the damage and observe was now growing in the understory. We were all hoping to see an abundance of fireweed which often proliferates in burned forested areas but wasn't the case in the area we visited although ferns did abound. We arrived at the D.I. ferry dock at 12 pm and as luck would have it we had to wait two times for the ferry to cross to Detour and back (once with a hazardous load). Luckily there were three freighters in the river to entertain us while we waited: The Cuhyoga on it's way down to Mackinac, the Robert Pierson, loading dolomite right at the dock next to the ferry and the Paul R. Tregurtha anchored off Sims Point. On August 14th the Tregurtha, under the direction of a substitute pilot, missed the turn in the downbound passageway between Neebish Island and the mainland and ended up stuck on a sandbar for two days. This is a 1,000 foot + freighter, one of the largest on the lakes and downbound traffic was halted for 2 days. But I digress. We took off from Detour at 2 pm and got to the mouth of the Two Hearted River at 5 pm. It took us an hour to drive the dirt road off the main highway to the river mouth as we stopped to take photos of the burn area along the way. It rained the entire trip. At times like a monsoon. Then like magic the rain stopped as soon as we reached our destination and we were able to play on the beach for 3 hours until another storm gathered up and threatened us. We ate BLT's and made a night of it. The lighting and clouds were spectacular; I could wander on that beach for a month. The photos in no way illustrated the raw beauty of this area. I am awestruck every time we visit. We returned to Drummond Island at midnight on the last ferry until 1:40 am. eek.
Robert Pierson loading dolomite
This area used to be covered with trees. The fire burned so hot it left holes in the ground where stumps would have been.
Other trees are burned but still standing.
Wood is being salvaged when possible
Dead standing trees.
Fireweed- we saw two clusters on the route to the river mouth. Note the burned trees in the background.
The beach
New Smoky ad campaign
This photo and the three that follow it make a panaromic view of the gathering storm.
Andrew capturing the storm over Lake Superior
This area used to be covered with trees. The fire burned so hot it left holes in the ground where stumps would have been.
Other trees are burned but still standing.
Wood is being salvaged when possible
Dead standing trees. 
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