Record temperatures set Sunday in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau and Marshfield as extreme fire danger continues

It was hot Sunday. So hot that new record temperatures were set across central Wisconsin.

Both Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids recorded triple-digit temperatures. A temperature of 102 degrees was recorded at 3:15 p.m. at the Stevens Point Municipal Airport, smashing the old record of 95 set in 1937, according to data from the National Weather Service in Green Bay. A temperature of 100 was reported at 3:54 p.m. at the South Wood County Airport-Alexander Field in Wisconsin Rapids, breaking the previous record of 94 set in 1960, according to the weather service.

Wausau and Marshfield both recorded temperatures of 98 degrees at 3:54 p.m., breaking previous records set in 1929 and 1971, respectively.

Record or near-record high temperatures are expected to continue across the region Monday and Tuesday, and those with outdoor plans should prepare for the hot weather, the weather service said in a hazardous weather outlook issued Sunday night.

A combination of ongoing drought, record temperatures, relative humidity values near 30% and southerly winds at 10-15 mph with gusts to 20 mph will also bring elevated to near-critical fire conditions to central Wisconsin Monday and possibly Tuesday, the weather service said.

Due to the weather conditions, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a Red Flag Warning from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday for several counties in southwestern and central Wisconsin − including Portage, Wood, Adams, Juneau, Waupaca and Waushara.

The DNR anticipates continued dry, elevated fire conditions again on Monday, they said in a news release.

The DNR will prohibit burning with all DNR-issued burn permits where the DNR has burn restriction authority.

A burn ban also is in effect for Stevens Point until Tuesday and no burn permits will be issued, according to an email from the Stevens Point Fire Department. To report unauthorized burning in Stevens Point, call the Portage County Communication Center at 715-346-1400.

The DNR is asking the public to be especially careful with any activities that could potentially throw sparks and lead to a wildland fire. If you've had a fire of any sort in the last couple of days, be sure to check to ensure they are properly extinguished, the DNR said.

Campfires, ashes from fireplaces, outdoor grills, smoking, chainsaws, off-road vehicles or other small engines have the potential to throw a spark, ignite a fire and spread quickly. Use extreme caution until the weather and dry conditions improve.

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The DNR responded to 15 wildfires throughout the state in the last week. Several fires occurred in central and southern Wisconsin, where much of the Red Flag Warning was issued, the release said.

DNR burn permit restrictions and fire danger vary from county to county, and the most up-to-date information is available at apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn.

Fire safety tips

The Wisconsin Department of Natural resources offers the following fire safety tips:

• Avoid outdoor burning until conditions improve.

• Campfires, though strongly discouraged, are allowed if used solely for cooking or warming purposes, but please use extreme caution.

• Consider having small campfires in a designated fire ring or device in the evening hours to avoid burning under elevated fire conditions typically found during the day.

• Operate equipment (chainsaws, off-road vehicles, lawnmowers, etc.) early in the morning or late in the day to avoid sparks at peak burn hours.

• Secure dragging trailer chains.

• Report fires early and call 911.

Editor Jamie Rokus can be reach at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Record highs set in central Wisconsin as extreme fire danger continues