Be Fire Smart: Elevated Fire Danger
Expected This Weekend
Plus, Get Fishing & Find Your Adventure In Wisconsin’s State Parks
Elevated fire danger is expected this Friday and into the weekend particularly in the northern part of the state. DNR staff shown here work to contain a recent wildfire caused by debris burning in Hayward. / Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR
Reports from the National Weather Service are forecasting a beautiful weekend to get outdoors no matter where you are in the state. With that in mind, we’d like to remind everyone that spring is fire season in Wisconsin.
Fire danger is currently High to Very High statewide, and we expect it to remain elevated through the weekend.
The increased fire danger is due to warmer temperatures, lower humidity, and dry vegetation, increasing the potential risk of wildfires. Meanwhile, high-pressure weather systems lower the chances for precipitation.
Wisconsin is entering peak fire season as fires in sandy soils and pine areas will begin to move up into the crowns of the trees. This weekend, DNR staff will be on alert and positioning equipment in higher fire risk areas.
Be fire smart – With the state’s fishing season opener this Saturday, May 7, coupled with Mother’s Day, there tends to be more fires as more people are gathering with family, enjoying the outdoors, having shore lunches, cleaning up around seasonal homes and choosing to burn their debris.
We have responded to 235 wildfires burning more than 426 acres so far this year. Nearly 100 wildfires this year alone have been caused by debris burning, which is the No. 1 cause of wildfires in the state.
Debris Burning & Burning Permits
We may suspend burning permits for debris piles and barrels and broadcast in counties with increased wildfire potential.
DNR burning permits are required to burn vegetative debris anytime the ground is not completely snow-covered. Small fires for warming or cooking do not require a DNR burning permit, but please use extreme caution.
Please do not burn your debris piles since embers from any fire can easily escape control and cause a wildfire. Burn permits for debris burning could be suspended in several counties over the coming days until conditions improve.
DNR burning permits are free and can be obtained online and instantly emailed or issued over the phone and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service within three to five business days. Get your annual DNR burning permit by completing the online application here or by calling 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876).
Fire Safety Tips
- Check before you burn; burn permits for debris burning could be suspended in several counties over the coming days until conditions improve.
- Operate equipment (chainsaws, off-road vehicles, lawn mowers, etc.) early in the morning or late in the day to avoid sparks at peak burn hours.
- Secure dragging trailer chains.
- Delay having campfires until the evening hours as fire conditions tend to improve; keep them small and contained.
- Report fires early, dial 911.
Check daily fire danger, wildfire reports and burning restrictions on our website at https://bit.ly/WiFireDanger.
General Fishing Season Opens
May 7
The 2022-2023 fishing season opens on Saturday, May 7. All regulations and license requirements apply.
No matter where you decide to fish, all Wisconsin residents and non-residents over the age of 16 are required to purchase a fishing license. You can buy licenses through Go Wild, the DNR’s license portal, or from a license agent.
Over the past year, our staff has worked hard to responsibly manage Wisconsin’s fishery resources. Staff maintains and enhances critical fish habitats, conducts fish population surveys, adds classified trout waters, and stocks millions of fish into inland lakes, streams and Great Lakes.
As you head out to your favorite fishing locations, we would like to remind you to:
Fishing Forecasts
Based on early season fishing reports, we predict anglers across the state will have a successful opening weekend despite a slower spring thaw.
If you’re searching for panfish, you’ll find them in warm, shallow water near trees and stumps, though with the late warm-up, they may be sluggish. Expect to catch some perch in the weedy bays and at the mouths of smaller tributaries around the Winnebago System.
With minimal precipitation and shorter vegetation along streams, you should be stealthy while fishing for trout. Brown trout and splake are abundant this year in Lake Superior and can commonly be found in the shallow waters of the Apostle Islands and Chequamegon Bay region in the spring. Brown trout are also in the shallow waters around the shores of Lake Michigan, and you can find lake trout around harbors and rocks.
Cooler temperatures have delayed walleye spawning in the northern parts of the state. As a result, they will likely be hanging around shoreline habitats. Expect to find plenty of walleye over 15 inches in the St. Louis River, its estuary areas and along Wisconsin’s Lake Superior south shore. Focus on fishing Lake Wisconsin for the opener as walleye make their way back after spawning on the Wisconsin River.
Like panfish, bass have remained sluggish, and you’ll want to head to deeper waters to find those that haven’t moved into shallow, warmer waters. Northern pike will likely be in post-spawn mode and actively feeding.
Steelhead are just finishing their spawning runs, though you may still find them in rivers and harbors, and Coho salmon are starting to make their annual northward migration along the Lake Michigan lakeshore.
Contact your local fisheries biologist for more information or find a launch or fishing location near you.
The DNR wishes all anglers a safe and successful 2022 fishing season.
Photo credit: iStock/jeremiahstavne |
Find Your Adventure At Wisconsin’s State Parks
Join the 20 million annual visitors to Wisconsin’s state parks and find your next adventure in Wisconsin’s outdoors. The outdoors are open for everyone and we encourage you to get out and explore.
Not familiar with our parks, forests, recreations areas and trails? Look no further than our Find A Map interactive map. Here you can look at geographic areas, filter by activity and discover a new-to-you place to explore.
Want to learn more about our parks and Wisconsin’s natural resources? Check our events calendar to find an event happening near you. From guided hikes to invasive species clean-up, outdoors yoga, opportunities for kids and everything in between, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Featured Upcoming Events
Horicon Marsh Bird Festival
- Where: Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area, Horicon
- When: May 6 – 8, all day
- What: Horicon Marsh Bird Club invites birders of all skill levels and anyone who enjoys the great outdoors to the 25th Annual Horicon Marsh Bird Festival. This weekend-long event provides family-friendly activities and educational experiences designed to showcase Horicon Marsh’s role as an important habitat for birds and wildlife. Find more details on the Horicon Marsh Bird Club’s website.
World Migratory Bird Day: An OutWiGo Event
- Where: Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan
- When: May 14 – 15, all day
- What: Celebrate spring and the return of Wisconsin’s migratory birds with a variety of family-friendly activities and programs. Hop in on a bird walk, join a scavenger hunt, see live birds of prey up close, make nature crafts and more! A Wisconsin State Parks Vehicle Admission sticker or day pass is required. Find details for each day’s events on our website – May 14, May 15.
Elroy-Sparta State Trail Reopening Celebration
- Where: Kendall Depot, 111 White Street, Kendall, WI
- When: May 14, 10 a.m.
- What: Join us in celebrating the reopening of Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Take a tour of the trail by bike or hike and enjoy refreshments with fellow supporters of the historic rail-trail. Please bring your own bicycle. Wisconsin State Trail passes are encouraged but not required for this event.
Photo Credit: iStock/DisobeyArt |
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