,

Wildfire Risk High Across Wisconsin This Spring

DNR Suspends Brush Burning Permits In Much Of The States

By
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (CC-BY-ND)

Higher temperatures, low humidity, and dry conditions make spring prime wildfire season in Wisconsin and the Department of Natural Resources says this year is no different. The agency says fire risk is high statewide.

“We’ve had a little over 100 fires already for the state. Mostly in the southern part. But we’re starting to see a few pop up across the state,” said DNR wildfire prevention specialist is Catherine Koele.

“You typically see it in the northern part of the state and those dry, sandy soils, but in the southern part of the state, we also have some grassy areas and actually those are the more intense fires, ” she added. “They move a lot faster and we have higher populated areas, so we have more homes at risk.”

Stay informed on the latest news

Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Koele said most fires are limited to 1 or 2 acres. They are usually caused by brush burning but things like chainsaws and ATV’s can also spark them.

The DNR is asking landowners to be careful about burning brush and has suspended burn permits for brush, leaves, and pine needles across most of the state.

Koele said most of central, southern, and northern Wisconsin is at a very high risk. Eastern Wisconsin is high, and a few eastern and far northern counties are at moderate risk.