(Photo: Wisconsin DNR)
Now that the snow is gone and weather is warming up, wildfire concerns are sparking across the state.
The spring months are a busy time for wildfires. Department of Natural Resources Wildfire Prevention Specialist Catherine Coele says April is usually about the peak of the season – just after the snow melts, but before things “green up” for the season.
There have already been 190 wildfires in the state so far this year, with 44 of those in the past week alone. More than 98 percent of the fires started in the state each year are man-made. “They usually result mostly from folks outside burning debris and brush,” Coele says.
Coele says people need to observe local burning restrictions, get required permits, and check to make sure conditions are safe before starting a fire.