Complex sentence: There were forest fires beginning in mid-August, and on August 31, a fire started in northern Lapeer County and destroyed several buildings in Sandusky and Deckerville in nearby Sanilac County.
Split into simpler sentences: There were forest fires beginning in mid-August, and on August 31, a fire started in northern Lapeer County. It destroyed several buildings in Sandusky and Deckerville in nearby Sanilac County.