MADISON, Wis. -- The Department of Natural Resources is warning of elevated fire risks as temperatures creep into the upper 80s and low 90s throughout much of the state this week.
Within the past week alone, the DNR and fire departments responded to more than 90 wildfires around the state which burned roughly 30 acres.
While greener foliage statewide has helped crews stop blazes quickly, recent dry weather and low relative humidity have improved conditions for wildfires around the state.
As of Tuesday afternoon the vast majority of counties were under a high fire risk, according to the DNR's fire danger map; only 14 counties -- all in the western and northern parts of the state -- faced a moderate risk. The remaining 58 counties faced at least a high risk, with three of those counties (Florence, Marinette and Oconto) facing a very high fire risk.
In order to prevent as many fires as possible, DNR officials plan to suspend burn permits for areas they regulate that are under increased fire threat.
Earlier this year prior to much of the state's vegetation turning green, a wildfire broke out along Fort McCoy's northern border burning more than 3,000 acres in the process.
The exact cause of that fire is still under investigation, but much of the state faced extreme fire dangers and red flag warnings when it began.
Story Source: WKBT News8000 And Channel3000(Madison Wisconsin)
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