Anyone know where I might find Michigan wildfire section maps. When listening to DNRE fire management planes, they are giving section numbers etc.
Wildfire Maps
- Thread starter bodnarp
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DNR Fire Map
Paul,
Maybe this DNR site will help I don't see section numbers but perhaps it can still help
DNR Wildland Fire Mapping Application
Les
Paul,
Maybe this DNR site will help I don't see section numbers but perhaps it can still help
DNR Wildland Fire Mapping Application
Les
box23
Member
I can almost guarantee they are referring to legal descriptions using the Public Land Survey System (PLSS).
Do they mention township or range?
The Wisconsin DNR uses the PLSS to describe fire locations. I also believe Minnesota does.
For a fire location near me the location would be given over the radio as: Northwest quarter, Southeast quarter, Section 24, Township 44 North, Range 10 West. This could also be abbreviated as: Northwest, Southeast, 24, 44, 10, leaving off the extra words if the approximate location is known by the dispatcher.
Topographic maps have the PLSS grid drawn on them. Plat books are a good source. You can also drawn your own PLSS grid on any map of your choice fairly easily. A quick search showed a few ways to use PLSS in Google Earth if you wanted to use that.
Hope this helps.
Do they mention township or range?
The Wisconsin DNR uses the PLSS to describe fire locations. I also believe Minnesota does.
For a fire location near me the location would be given over the radio as: Northwest quarter, Southeast quarter, Section 24, Township 44 North, Range 10 West. This could also be abbreviated as: Northwest, Southeast, 24, 44, 10, leaving off the extra words if the approximate location is known by the dispatcher.
Topographic maps have the PLSS grid drawn on them. Plat books are a good source. You can also drawn your own PLSS grid on any map of your choice fairly easily. A quick search showed a few ways to use PLSS in Google Earth if you wanted to use that.
Hope this helps.
Hoofy
Member
Just a little more info on the section maps.
The DNR uses geographical township discriptions rather than the political townships.
The difference is that geographical twps are usually 6 miles on a side or 36 sq. miles whereas a political twp may be any size or configuration and may contain multiple sections with the same number.
So if they dispatched equipment to sec.6 of Sherman twp. there could be more than one sec. 6 within sherman twp. But there would only be one sec. 6 within T31N R36E
You may be able to Google the location.
Usually the Michigan County Map Atlas will have the township and ranges identified on them as well as some county maps provided by the counties.
Look for the Town and Range info to be on the perimeter of the maps.
They will be listed as TxxN or TxxS on the sides of the map and the RxxW or RxxE will be across the top and bottom of the map.
The town and range numbers will change every 6 miles.
So if a county was 36 miles square it would have 4 different Town and 4 different Ranges.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/ogs-oilandgas-mapping-t-r-s_263223_7.pdf
That does a better job of explaining.
Hoofy
The DNR uses geographical township discriptions rather than the political townships.
The difference is that geographical twps are usually 6 miles on a side or 36 sq. miles whereas a political twp may be any size or configuration and may contain multiple sections with the same number.
So if they dispatched equipment to sec.6 of Sherman twp. there could be more than one sec. 6 within sherman twp. But there would only be one sec. 6 within T31N R36E
You may be able to Google the location.
Usually the Michigan County Map Atlas will have the township and ranges identified on them as well as some county maps provided by the counties.
Look for the Town and Range info to be on the perimeter of the maps.
They will be listed as TxxN or TxxS on the sides of the map and the RxxW or RxxE will be across the top and bottom of the map.
The town and range numbers will change every 6 miles.
So if a county was 36 miles square it would have 4 different Town and 4 different Ranges.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/ogs-oilandgas-mapping-t-r-s_263223_7.pdf
That does a better job of explaining.
Hoofy
balt527
Member
Here is a map from the DNR that I have found very helpful. I'm in the land surveying business and I have used this many times.
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/spatialdatalibrary/PDF_Maps/public_land_survey/mi_twp.pdf
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/spatialdatalibrary/PDF_Maps/public_land_survey/mi_twp.pdf
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