By Catherine Koele, DNR Wildfire Prevention Specialist For southern Wisconsin, fire season is well underway. For others in the north? Well, unfortunately, it may be June before some of the snow piles completely melt. But, it’s never too early to be thinking about spring fire season. To gear up, the DNR launched an update to WisBURN—the place to get current fire season information throughout Wisconsin.  Fire danger and DNR burn restrictions can change daily. WisBURN can help keep you informed! Many people have come to recognize the Wisconsin DNR’s fire danger and burn restrictions webpag ..read more

By Catherine Koele, Wisconsin DNR wildfire prevention specialist Wildfire activity in Wisconsin has been picking up – we’re currently reaching the peak of the fire season in northern Wisconsin. The DNR responded to nearly 70 wildfires over the weekend, and more are expected this week as elevated fire danger continues. Strong gusty winds, warmer temperatures, low humidity and very dry vegetation present challenging firefighting conditions. So, what happens when a wildfire occurs? The DNR has various suppression tools to fight these unwanted human-caused wildfires. The primary goal of the fire s ..read more

By Catherine Koele, DNR Wildfire Prevention Specialist It’s a fact – wildfires do happen in Wisconsin! Spring is wildfire season in the Great Lakes region, and the third week of April is designated Wildfire Prevention Week (April 17-23, 2022). Visit the DNR’s Wildfire Dashboard to view real-time and historic wildfires throughout the areas where the DNR has forest fire protection responsibility. They may happen more often and closer to your backyard than you think! Every spring wildfire season is unique. Near the tail end of winter, wildfire professionals begin keeping a close eye on the snow d ..read more

“Don’t like the weather? Wait five minutes.” A saying that rings true during spring in Wisconsin. While March signals the beginning of spring fire season for us, it can be interrupted by rainfall and snowstorms. Wet weather gives firefighters a chance to recharge and can be an opportunity for people to burn yard debris while it’s safer to do so. The yard around your home may currently be filled with an assortment of fallen leaves, pine needles and branches. Recent ice storms in northern Wisconsin have contributed significantly to the volume of debris around our homes. If the recent widespread ..read more

Winter may seem like a perfectly safe time to burn, but it’s important to practice fire safety year-round to prevent wildfires. When the ground is entirely snow-covered, burning is permitted in DNR Protection Areas without a DNR burning permit for debris piles. As soon as the snow melts, DNR burning permits are required again. Always check with local fire officials before conducting any burning, especially in the spring. Snow amounts vary across the landscape this time of year. The southern half of the state tends to have little to no snow, while the north looks like a winter wonderland. Just ..read more

Have you ever thought about getting paid to help protect and manage our forests? Finding your path to becoming a forester with wildland firefighting responsibilities starts with loving the outdoors and, of course, TREES! If this field interests you, it’s never too early to start planning your career. Besides knowing about trees and forestry practices, you need to learn about other parts of the forest ecosystem. We wouldn’t have trees without soil, so some foresters study soil science. And we wouldn’t have soil without rocks and wind and rain and ice, so some study geology and meteorology. And ..read more

Spring Is The Most Critical Fire Season In Wisconsin March through May, Wisconsin’s snow line recedes, winds and temperature increase and plentiful brown grasses, pine needles and leaf litter receptive to fire across the landscape. This combination is the perfect cocktail for wildfires to occur. Add people conducting spring clean-up around their property by burning yard debris to the mix, resulting in many wildfires.  Planning For The Weather For most of us, planning for the weather on any day may mean dressing in layers or carrying an umbrella. Measuring the width of the brown band on a ..read more

Research shows that both homes and their immediate surroundings play a critical role in a home surviving a wildfire. Your home’s building materials, design and landscape choices can increase risks of your home igniting during a wildfire. If a wildfire burns near your home, its intensity can be reduced or even stopped if “fuel” on your property is managed. To prepare your home and the area around your home,  start with the house and then move into the landscaping. The “home ignition zone” is your home and surroundings out 100-200 feet. Often, a person’s home ignition zone overlaps with the ..read more

State regulations allow individual households to burn small amounts of dry, household rubbish which includes only unrecyclable paper and cardboard, natural fibers, clean, untreated wood and similar materials, and small quantities of dry leaves and plant clippings unless prohibited by local ordinance. However, fire officials caution that the open burning of many materials produce a variety of air pollutants that is unhealthy for your or your neighbors to inhale. In addition, debris burning is the number one cause of wildfires in Wisconsin, accounting for nearly 30% of the state’s wildfires each ..read more

In the event of a wildfire in your area, firefighters may need to reach your home. If firefighters cannot safely access your home, they will find an alternative way to get to you that may take longer – and when fighting fire, every second counts. Help Firefighters Reach You You are the first line of defense when it comes to helping your home survive a wildfire. To enable firefighters and other emergency vehicles to locate and reach your residence quickly it’s important to establish a safe route with adequate driveway access. Follow these guidelines to prepare your driveway for emergency access ..read more