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EMERGENCY BURNING RESTRICTIONS STILL IN EFFECT
WPR News - Emergency burning restrictions still in effect
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Tuesday May 01, 2012
by Kristen Vake
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(UNDATED) Despite recent rain, fire danger level is at high for the northwestern Wisconsin timber blowdown area in Burnett, Douglas, Polk and Washburn counties.
Although northwestern Wisconsin has had some moisture, emergency burning restrictions are in full gear. And even the rain has stopped wildfires. So far this spring they have had 29 fires in Washburn County alone.
Minong Forestry Ranger Rebecca Mouw says people need to understand that just because it rains does not mean it is safe to burn things. The weather changes daily but the restrictions stay the same, "Just as quickly as the grass gets wet, the grass can dry so if it stops raining and the sun comes out with the wind those grass fuels dry out just as quickly as they got wet and they're ready to burn again."
The emergency burning ban means no debris fires, campfires or smoking outdoors. Mouw says the burning ban is helping, "That has significantly reduced the number of fires we generally have this time of year so it's working because 98 percent of our fires that do occur in Wisconsin are human caused."
Northern Regional DNR Public Affairs Manager Kevin Harter says Mother Nature is the decision-maker as far as when the burning restriction will end, "Depending on how quickly things green up and how much more precipitation we get and how the weather is, hopefully the ban will be lifted in the next two, three, four weeks but that is basically up to the weather. Usually when oaks start to leaf out completely signals the fire season is ending and the green up is pretty much here so that is what we'll be monitoring and looking closely to see."
Green-up in northwestern Wisconsin is usually complete by late May.
To check daily restrictions and find out more about the fire ban you can call 1-888-WIS-BURN which translates to 1-888-947-2876 or visit dnr.wi.gov
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