Dry conditions increase risk of grass fires - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Eau Claire (WQOW)- As the temperatures climb so the does risk for grass fires.

Right now a majority of the state is seeing a moderate fire danger. However because of the long drought conditions this summer the Dept. of Natural Resources is concerned about wetland areas and fields as we move closer to the fall.

Those areas contain a lot of organic soil, or peat soil, made up of dead vegetation. According to the DNR fires in those areas can be difficult to put out.

"They become very difficult to put out because you don't actually see flame a lot of times. It will be smoking and smoldering underneath the surface and we have to end up taking a lot of time and a lot of water and equipment to try to stir it up and try to get the fire out so it doesn't at a later date reignite and rekindle and take off from there," said Steve Edge, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

With the Labor Day holiday weekend coming up the DNR also wants people to be cautious when burning.