When leaves fall, fire danger rises

Spring is our main wildfire season in Wisconsin with a second busy time occurring in the fall as the leaves are falling and plants and grasses are going dormant and drying out. Dry, windy conditions have resulted in approximately 50 wildfires in the last week, including a wildfire on Sunday in Waushara County that was almost 400 acres in size. Fall is a great time to think about preparing your property before a wildfire occurs. Before the snow flies, rake and compost your yard and garden debris, remove dead trees and brush and remove pine needles and dry leaves from gutters, on and under decks, on the roof and in and around window wells and other nooks and crannies.  Fortunately, with some rain/snow yesterday, fire danger is down to “Low” in Central Wisconsin.  But, things can dry out again very quickly. Keep an eye on the day’s fire danger until the ground is completely snow covered.