MADISON
(Press Release) – Emergency burning restrictions will be extended to include Jackson, Monroe,
Waupaca, Wood, Portage and Waushara counties and additional portions of Adams
and Juneau counties, and campfires have been banned in four Wisconsin State
Parks system properties including Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State
Forest, the Lapham Peak unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, Richard Bong State
Recreation Area and Big Foot Beach State Park until further notice due to
continued drought and high to very high fire danger conditions.
The
extended Emergency Burning Restrictions and the park campfire bans are
effective Friday, July 13 at 12:01 a.m.
Emergency
burning restrictions currently are in effect in all of Crawford, Richland,
Sauk, Columbia, Marquette, Green Lake and portions of Iowa, Grant, Dane, Adams,
and Juneau counties. In these and in counties added today the restrictions apply
to areas within DNR organized protection that are outside incorporated cities
and villages in these counties.
View
a map of the
areas under emergency burning restrictions [PDF].
"It's
dry. You can tell by how many people are looking for the word ‘rain' in weather
forecasts, including myself. The cured, brown grass will catch fire easily and
will burn readily. We need the public to help prevent fires by being aware of
current conditions and by following the burn ban guidelines," said Trent Marty,
DNR forest protection director.
Under
Emergency Burning Restrictions, burning of any combustible material outdoors is
prohibited until further notice. This includes:
- all
fireworks (restricted and non-restricted);
- combustible
material in a burn pile or burn barrel, including grass or wooded areas
(all DNR burn permits suspended);
- campfires
with the exception of developed camping areas within a metal fire ring;
- outdoor
disposal of ashes, charcoal briquettes, matches or any burning material;
and
- smoking
a cigar, cigarette, or pipe, except within an enclosed vehicle or
building.
The
DNR intends to keep the emergency burning restrictions in place until a
significant amount of precipitation is received according to state fire control
officials who caution that fire danger is increasing outside the restricted
areas as well and that burn permits may be suspended in other areas in days to
come.
For
the most current
fire danger information throughout Wisconsin and a detailed look at the
areas under Emergency Burning Restrictions, visit dnr.wi.gov
keyword "fire" and select
the county of interest. Otherwise, residents and tourists are encouraged to
contact their local DNR office or local fire department, town or municipal
officials for more information on local fire restrictions.
Visitor Safety is top priority in State Parks
"Sitting
around the campfire is one of the special things that make camping in Wisconsin
State Parks so memorable," said Jerry Leiterman, acting operations director for
Wisconsin State Parks. "But given the extended dry weather we are experiencing
this is a necessary precaution at this time to protect our parks and our most
important asset…our visitors."
Cooking
will still be allowed but is restricted to charcoal cooking fires in campsite metal
fire rings, self-contained portable grills, and permanently mounted picnic
grills. Properties will provide a metal or concrete container to dispose of ash
generated from self-contained portable grills and permanently mounted picnic
grills outside of campgrounds. Gas cooking stoves will be allowed.
Outdoor
smoking of a pipe, cigarette or cigar also is banned on these park properties.
Smoking is allowed inside a vehicle with disposal of all burning materials in a
non-combustible receptacle or ashtray
State
parks officials are instituting the campfire ban to protect property and
visitors in the four state park system properties which lie outside counties
for which DNR has primary fire suppression and prevention responsibilities.
Counties
in the vicinity of the listed parks have instituted their own outdoor burning
restrictions. Recent wildfires, while quickly contained, have exhibited extreme
fire behavior and required extensive mop up to prevent re-ignition.
"Park
staff will begin calling all incoming campers holding reservations for the
upcoming weekend with a heads-up on these changes," said Leiterman. "Greeters
at our entry stations will also be informing incoming visitors of the
restrictions.
"We
will lift restrictions just as soon as we possibly can. Visitor safety is and
always will be our number one priority."
