WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) – Due to the unusual and sustained drought conditions, as well as the potential for enhanced fire hazards, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will reinstate DNR burning permits in 12 southern Wisconsin counties by issuing a Special Fire Order.
According to a press release, the permit reinstatement will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, and will continue until further notice. The reinstatement applies to all of Columbia, Crawford, Green Lake, Marquette, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Waupaca, and Waushara counties, as well as portions of Dane, Grant, and Iowa counties outside of incorporated cities and villages.
The release further stated that unless the ground is snow-covered, a DNR yearly burning permit is now required for burning in a barrel, a debris pile, and grassy or forested areas as specified by the permit.
According to the DNR, current wildfire risks are mostly due to a lack of precipitation in the state. This year, Wisconsin has had record-low rainfall, resulting in different degrees of severe to extreme dryness. These dry conditions, along with the possibility of heightened fire danger in the fall due to falling dead leaves, pine needles, and other dry plants, make burning debris particularly dangerous. In Wisconsin, one of the primary causes of wildfires is debris burning.
At this time the plan is to maintain the permit requirements until the drought situation drastically improves, either through long-term rain or snow.
