Because of the drought conditions and people’s carelessness,
forest fires have been keeping Wisconsin DNR Fire Management staff
busy through the summer. Some
relief was welcome when periodic rainfall began falling in early
August. However, if
rainfall stops again forest fires may be occurring right into and
throughout fall. Fall is
typically the second busiest time of year for forest fire control
personnel in Wisconsin (spring is the busiest).
As of September 30th, 221 forest fires have burned over 235
acres in the DNR Wisconsin Rapids Area.
Nearly 25 percent of all forest fires this year are the result
of people burning brush piles and/or failing to completely extinguish
fires when they were done. In
the months of June and July alone, 87 forest fires occurred throughout
the area, which is very abnormal for Wisconsin summers.
For current DNR fire statistics and fire danger level, please
visit http://workplan.org/forestry/FireReport/Public/Reports/WDNR-Fire_Report.asp.
To learn more about the DNR Fire Management program visit http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/forestry/Fire/index.htm.
Area residents, visitors, and recreators are reminded to use
extra caution when conducting any outdoor burning.
Individuals who wish to burn leaves, brush, and paper need to
obtain an outdoor burning permit whenever the ground is not completely
snow covered. The burning
permit allows individuals to burn from 6:00 PM until midnight, except
Sundays and holidays. Burning permits will not be issued on Thanksgiving
Day. DNR
burning permits are required in all unincorporated areas of southern
Wood County, all of Adams County and the majority of Juneau County.
This
includes the entire Town of Rome.
Burning permits are free of charge and can be
obtained from your local DNR office, ranger station, or Emergency Fire
Warden. In the Town of Rome, Pritzl’s, Lake Arrowhead
Lodge and Lake Camelot Lodge issue burning permits.
Individuals who conduct outdoor burning not only need to obtain
the proper permit, they need to make sure they never leave the fire
unattended. Numerous
forest fires result every year from unattended burning operations or
from burn piles and campfires that were not completely extinguished. A shovel and water go
a long way toward preventing forest fires every year. A
campfire or burn pile that is still “smoking a little” or just
“smoldering” is NOT completely extinguished.
The saying, “where there’s smoke, there’s
fire” holds a lot of truth.
Only clean paper, untreated and unpainted wood, cardboard,
brush, leaves, and needles can be legally burned with a burning
permit. Many people have the misconception that if they are burning in
their fire ring or fire pit, they do not need a burning permit.
“That is not necessarily true!” say Forest Ranger Brian
Luebke. “Campfires,”
which burn only clean
dry firewood, do not require a burning permit and are allowed at any
time, except during emergency forest fire regulations.
This exemption from burning permits applies to fires solely set and used for the purpose of a cooking or warming
fire. Remember, bonfires,
trash fires, or burning leaves, needles, and brush are not campfires.
If
you plan burn the leaves and twigs raked up from around the yard, you
need a burning permit…even if you are doing your burning within your
campfire ring.
Individuals should consider alternative methods of disposal.
Composting, recycling, and chipping are all alternatives to
burning that are much safer, reduce air pollution, and are time savers
in the long run.
Careless outdoor burning, although the leading cause of
forest fires in Wisconsin, is not the only cause. Fall means that
hunters are out in force in the wooded areas and extra caution needs
to be exercised by these individuals also. All campfires should be
completely extinguished prior to leaving camp and should never
be left unattended.
Smoking materials should be appropriately discarded and spark
arrestors on ATVs and chainsaws should be checked to make sure they
are working properly. Vehicles with catalytic converters can also
ignite forest fires if parked in an area where vegetation comes in
direct contact with the catalytic converter. Inspect your vehicle to
make sure all heat shields are in place and choose a parking area
devoid of dry vegetation to reduce the chances of igniting a fire.
Regardless of the size of a fire a person causes, Smokey
Bear’s reminder, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” still remains
true today.
Brian Luebke, DNR Forest Ranger
