Majority Of Wisconsin Under Very High Fire Danger

MADISON, Wis. – Today the majority of Wisconsin is at very high fire danger. With low humidity and high winds in the forecast, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the National Weather Service and other partners remind Wisconsinites to remain on alert due to elevated fire weather conditions.

Counties with VERY HIGH fire danger include Adams, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago and Wood.

The counties with HIGH fire danger include Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn.

Due to the elevated fire risk across the state, burning remains suspended with DNR-issued annual burning permits for debris piles, barrels and grass or wooded areas across the DNR Protection Area. If you are outside the DNR Protection Area, please check with your local authorities for any burning restrictions.

Any fire could quickly start and spread in these conditions. To help us keep Wisconsinites safe, the DNR is asking you to avoid all outdoor burning including limiting the use of campfires and making sure to extinguish and dispose of cigarettes properly. Outdoor enthusiasts should also use caution with off-road vehicles or equipment that can create a spark and start a fire. Keep in mind that weather conditions can change frequently and quickly become dangerous. 

There have already been 250 wildfires reported in Wisconsin so far this year, burning over 1,000 acres. That includes a wildfire in Menomonee Falls that burned nearly 450 acres of marshland on Friday, which has since been contained.

Fire officials anticipate a slightly longer than average fire season because of how early the snow melted around the state.

The earliest chance of minimal precipitation is expected Monday. In the meantime, please continue to take extra precautions during this dry spell. Use extreme caution until the fire weather improves.

Report fires early by calling 911 immediately. Regularly check current fire conditions online here.

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The DNR Protection Area includes Adams County, Ashland County, Barron County*, Bayfield County, Burnett County, Chippewa County *, Clark County *, Columbia County, Crawford County, Dane County *, Douglas County, Eau Claire County *, Florence County, Forest County, Grant County *, Green Lake County, Iowa County *, Iron County, Jackson County *, Juneau County, Langlade County, Lincoln County, Marathon County *, Marinette County, Marquette County, Menominee County, Monroe County *, Oconto County *, Oneida County, Polk County *, Portage County, Price County, Richland County, Rusk County, Sauk County, Sawyer County, Shawano County *, Taylor County, Vilas County, Washburn County, Waupaca County *, Waushara County and Wood County*.

Note: Counties with an asterisk (*) are those where only a portion are in the DNR Protection Area.