Southeast Wisconsin brush fires, dozens of acres burned Friday | FOX6 Milwaukee

Southeast Wisconsin brush fires, dozens of acres burned Friday

Two large brush fires spread in southeast Wisconsin on Friday, Feb. 28.

Palmyra brush fire

What we know:

Palmyra Fire Rescue said crews were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. and found approximately 20 acres of field on fire near 4th and West. Due to winds estimated at 20-35 mph, the fire rapidly spread and was upgraded to a second alarm.

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Mutual aid arrived and started to deploy ATVs and brush trucks as the fire eventually escalated to a fifth alarm. The fire was contained at around 7 p.m. and struck out around 7:45 p.m. Hotspot suppression efforts continued until around 9 p.m.

Ultimately, Palmyra Fire Rescue said approximately 95 acres were burned.

Locations of southeast Wisconsin brush fires on Feb. 28.

What we don't know:

At this time, it is unknown what started the fire.

Bloomfield brush fire

What we know:

A brush fire in Bloomfield, just southeast of Lake Geneva, burned several acres. It shut down part of Highway 12 from just after 5 p.m. until around 7:40 p.m. Bloomfield Genoa City Fire & Rescue said wind was a factor in the fire's spread.

What we don't know:

It's still unclear exactly how many acres burned and what started the fire. 

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Wisconsin DNR

What you can do:

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' fire danger dashboard on Saturday listed Jefferson and Walworth counties, where Friday's fires took place, as under moderate risk – the department's second-lowest tier. 

The DNR also maintains two dashboards – one for wildfires, one for prescribed burns – to keep residents aware of fires burning across the state throughout the year.

The Source: Information in this report is from Palmyra Fire Rescue, Bloomfield Genoa City Fire & Rescue, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

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