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CONDITIONS RIPE FOR FIRE
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 -- 1:17 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
 We’ve all seen pictures of the tremendous wildfires that break out in the western United States, but an area forestry official says it could happen here, too.
Area Forestry Leader Randy Schott, stationed in Black River Falls, says the fire danger in the area is considered “very high.”
"We're still experiencing very low humidities," Schott says, "down in the single digits, which is really Arizone-type weather. We just don't get that type of dry air here."
And that’s a problem, because there’s already plenty of dead vegetation out there winds are notoriously gusty this time of year.
Tuesday, the DNR in Black River Falls assisted regional fire departments fight five fires, including one near Sparta that consumed over 40 acres.
Another fire in the Black River State Forest was caught before it got out of control.
A fire in the central forest, which includes the Black River State Forest and Clark County Forest, is a “worst-case scenario.”
"We have that pine fuel type," he explains, "we have quite a range of fuel. With the fire weather we're having, fires escape readily and are able to grow."
Not only could a major forest fires happen around here, they already have; but, it would likely be even more dangerous today.
"We've had the 30,000 acres fires back in 1977. Conditions can get such that we can experience that. The difference from 30 years ago and now is we have so many more people living in these rural areas," Schott notes.
Burning is banned Wednesday for those living in the DNR Fire Prevention area.
Schott also notes people heading out for the start of the Turkey Hunting season need to use special caution, as sparks and embers can easily touch off huge fires.
If you’re not in the prevention zone, you should call your local fire warden to see if burning is allowed.
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