Wisconsin wildfire season: DNR, fire departments already responding
JACKSON, Wis. - As the leaves change and the air gets drier, it's a recipe for fire.
The Jackson Fire Department is getting ready for fire season, and Fire Chief Aaron Swaney said his crews are already responding to calls.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
"We've had them go into a garage and toward a house," he said. "We had one that caught fire from a burn barrel and then spread to the house and the garage, which we caught very quickly."
Those fires happen when dry air and dry grass mix. Then, they quickly spread.
"The entire state of Wisconsin is under some sort of drought condition, so the Milwaukee area, this area we are abnormally dry, which is the lowest on the drought monitor," said Marc Sass, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cooperative forest ranger.
In the past seven days, the Wisconsin DNR told FOX6 News there have been 24 fires reported that burned 56 acres.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
"Until we get more rain and regular precipitation, we are likely to get worse before we get better," Sass said.
That's why, right now, burning isn't a good idea. If you're working outside, make sure you check on your equipment; it could go up in flames, too.
Featured
Wisconsin dams failing more frequently, new report finds
Wisconsin is seeing more frequent dam failures in another sign that the storms blowing through the state are growing stronger.
"It's good to take precautions to be watching it at all times," said Swaney.
Monitor wildfire conditions across the state at any time with the DNR's Wildfire Dashboard.