NORTHWOODS, Wis. (WJFW) - Nearly 30 active wildfires are happening throughout Wisconsin Tuesday. With elevated fire risk season in full swing, first responders and wildfire experts are highlighting how to stay safe and do your part in keeping everyone else safe.
“Everyone’s trying to get their yards cleaned up and burn some of the debris so they don’t have to haul it,” said Arbor Vitae assistant fire chief Mike Sipin. “But it’s the worst thing you can do under conditions like this.”
Whether you’re a logger or just out in the woods for a hike, Sipin says to keep firefighting amenities close by.
“Have some type of an extinguishing equipment – preferably water – with you that if a small spark does get out and starts a fire, hopefully you can get to the water quick enough and get the fire knocked down,” said Sipin.
D.N.R. Wildfire prevention specialist Catherine Koele highlighted the various factors that go into deciding the height of the fire risk.
“Temperature, wind, humidity and wind speeds are really kind of the driving force when we talk about fire danger,” said Koele. “And also, the soil moisture so, when we’re looking at how green the vegetation is, that really plays a factor as well.”
Sipin said that whether you see smoke while out in the woods or someone burning debris when they shouldn’t be; if you see something, say something.
“We’d rather get called and go out for it to be something small, even if it is legal or they’re burning within parameters,” said Sipin. “But, if it’s a day like today when all burn permits are suspended and so no burning can be done, we will extinguish the fire before it gets out of hand.”
Sipin and Koele both mentioned WisBurn, an interactive map application on the DNR website that tracks fire danger by county and where current fires are occurring throughout Wisconsin.
“It also has D.N.R. burn permit restrictions,” said Koele. “So, it’s a really easy way to just tap on your location and see what that burn restriction is as well as that fire danger.”
Koele added that even though rain is in the forecast, fire danger will likely remain high throughout next month or so.
“Stay vigilant, keep an eye on that changing fire danger because after we get some rain, still until things really green up, we could be right back in it,” said Koele.
To see the D.N.R. interactive fire danger map, click here.