GRAYLING, MI -- Wildfire season is approaching fast and crews are preparing for what they say could be a very active season.

Part of the reason is a dry winter.

The Department of Natural Resources says when wildfires break out, they need to be on top of their game, and real-life training gives them the upper hand.

It isn't the typical training you'd think of.  Firefighters didn't fight fire.   

It's the logistical side of things.

Incident Management Teams were put in place to respond to the real-life simulation.

Inside the Department of Natural Resources Grayling Field Office, the breakouts of two fires were treated as being real.  Every two years, the DNR prepares for wildfires with a fire simulation.

"They have to be able to work together, understand what their individual roles are, so they handle the responsibilities they have so the team functions as the group," said DNR Resource Protection Manager Jim Fisher.

This training isn't for the front-line firefighters.  It's training for the Incident Management Team.  These are the men and women who manage the fire -- for example the operations, public information, and incident commander are a part of the team.  In this two-day scenario, they're focus is on two fires in the Upper Peninsula; the "Hudson Creek Fire" and the "Murph's turf fire."

“They'll do all their planning and managing and they'll put plans together and provide information to us with what's going on with the fire," said Fisher.

In another building, the scenario team feeds the Incident Management Team with information they need to know and work with.  This information is then used in the team's briefs and prediction models as they fight the fire. 

"We like to get things correct and get infromation as soon as we can and get as many pictures as we can for you so what's really going on gets out to the media," said Steve Eisele, a DNR Public Information Officer.

Every year, 10,000 to 12,000 wildfires break out.  95 percent are extinguished while less than 10 acres.  But the DNR says just about every year, one burns big.  Last year, it was the Meridian Boundary Fire in Crawford County, when more than 8500 acres were scorched.  Training prepares them to battle the big blaze.

Jim Fisher with the DNR said he plans to meet with the National Weather Service next week to determine the threat of wildfires this spring.

To learn more about DNR Fire Management, CLICK HERE.