Wausau Fire Department. MWC photo by Mike Leischner.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) – Due to the extreme fire threat in northern Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is urging the public to refrain from burning. A fire weather watch is in effect, and the DNR and its partners at the National Weather Service (NWS) are keeping a careful eye on the situation.
Northern Wisconsin’s sandy pines are always the slowest to green up. With very low humidity and the possibility of gusts, flames could quickly spread out of control at this time.
According to a press release from the DNR, today’s fire danger levels are VERY HIGH in the counties of Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Oconto, Oneida, Polk, Price, Sawyer, Vilas, and Washburn.
Barron, Chippewa, Marathon, Menominee, Rusk, Shawano, and Taylor counties have a HIGH fire hazard.
In the 21 counties where the DNR has burning permit authority, all DNR-issued yearly burning permits for waste heaps, burn barrels, and prescribed fires are stopped today.
So far this year, the DNR has responded to 281 wildfires that have burned over 3,358 acres. The majority of these were caused by debris burning, which is the single most common source of wildfires in Wisconsin.
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