DNRThe Michigan Department of Natural Resources has sent 17 firefighters to battle forest fires in 5 U-S states.  They are being sent over to help crews put out blazes in California, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.  The current deployment follows a similar one last month, where 14 firefighters from the DNR were sent to Alaska and Manitoba to put forest fires there.  Seven of them are from offices in the Upper Peninsula — the group will be serving in various roles such as heavy equipment bosses and operators and fire-line management.  Michigan continues to be staffed during this time should forest fires escalate in the state.  The Department of Natural Resources has reported 318 fires so far this season that have burned that have burned more 28 hundred acres.