They were holding their own on Thursday against a wildfire that destroyed 12 homes and burned thousands of acres in northern Michigan's thumb, firefighters have said.

The Gaylord Herald Times has reported that the Meridian Boundary Fire was reported on Tuesday. By 5 p. m. Wednesday, the blaze had spread across more than 8,000 acres and was declared 65 percent contained.

Paul Gaberdiel of the state Department of Natural Resources and Environment said that at noon on Thursday the fire was estimated at 8,750 acres or about 14 square miles and was still 65 percent contained.

At a meeting Wednesday night in Grayling, Gaberdiel warned people who had been evacuated from their homes they might be sleeping elsewhere for several days. He said some people might be able to visit their homes with police escorts.

He further said, "We're watching all sides of the fire. Nothing is safe at this point."

He was at work in Grayling when he got a call telling him to go home immediately, Jason Cupp said.

He also said, "The road was blocked but the officer gave us 10 minutes to grab what we could, that entailed dogs and cats pretty much."

The Detroit News also reported that another fire at the Camp Grayling National Guard Base was declared under control Wednesday. The blaze was a controlled burn that got out of control, spreading across 1,200 acres. (With inputs from Agencies)