Wisconsin is on alert due to near critical fire danger in the northwest
Much of Wisconsin has either high or very high fire danger conditions, as of Saturday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The public is advised to refrain from any burning and use caution with any equipment that may spark in areas with very high fire danger as dry and windy weather conditions mixed with low humidity have led to unsafe conditions.
Areas with very high fire danger, according to the DNR, include: Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vilas, Washburn and Wood counties.
Areas with high fire danger include: Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago counties.
A special weather statement released by the National Weather Service in Green Bay said low humidity coupled with high temperatures in northeast Wisconsin will "result in elevated fire weather conditions this afternoon. In addition, there is potential for dry thunderstorms in the late afternoon and early evening, which could result in a few lightning-caused fires."
In Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Marathon, Wood and Portage counties, the National Weather Service says potential exists for dry thunderstorms after 4 p.m., which could result in a few lightning-caused fires.
The DNR recommends checking fire conditions daily before burning.
Alexandria Bursiek Kloehn is a business reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at abursiekkloehn@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @bursiekkloehn.
This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Near critical fire danger in northwest Wisconsin
