GRANTSBURG—The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources urges people who own property in or near storm-damaged areas in northwest Wisconsin to burn brush piles now rather than wait until the end of winter.
While the ground is completely snow covered burning permits are not required and you can burn any time of the day and any day of the week. Although once the snow melts or even if there is partial snow cover burning permits are required.
According to DNR forestry team leader Bob Hartshorn, forest rangers want those folks who intend to burn anyway this winter, to do it now rather than later as we get closer to our typical spring time.
Rangers are concerned that if large piles are burned too late in the winter there is a potential for hot embers remaining in those piles for weeks. Ash, for example, is excellent insulation and can allow embers to smolder for long periods of time without noticeable smoke or flame.
Each year dozens of wildfires are caused when debris piles, which were believed to be out, continue to smolder and flame up again sometimes in late April when the forest fire potential can be significant.
For property owners who do not burn this winter, other options will need to be explored when the snow melts. Brush can be moved to a local brush collection site, chipped on site, left for wildlife habitat or simply wait until next winter. The DNR anticipates burning will be prohibited in the storm damaged areas of northwest Wisconsin by early spring so the option of burning brush piles will not be available at that time.
Currently the DNR anticipates banning burning in parts of Polk, Burnett, Washburn and Douglas counties when the snow melts in the spring. More specifically if you live west of Highway 87 from Cushing to Grantsburg, north of Highway 70 from the Minnesota state line to Spooner and west of Highway 53 from Spooner to Gordon options for burning from the time the snow melts until green up in June will be quite limited.
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