Wisconsin was in a state of emergency on Monday due to the increased risk of forest fires, with more than 300 fires already registered this year.
More than 1,400 acres have been burned in the state, and experts expect a longer-than-normal fire season due to early snow melt, said Governor Tony Evers. The climatic conditions that arrive, such as gusts of wind and low humidity levels, are also more conducive to the spread of forest fires.
“With almost the entire state experiencing a high or very high fire risk, protecting Wisconsin’s inhabitants from the destructive dangers of forest fires is a priority,” said Evers.
The spring forest fire season in Wisconsin usually runs until the end of May, the governor’s office said.
The executive order, which Evers signed on Monday, allows the National Guard to mobilize with the state’s Department of Natural Resources, which deals with the response to forest fires. The department said in a statement on Saturday that most counties are at very high risk of fire.
Annual burning licenses were suspended, the department said on Saturday.
“To help us keep Wisconsin residents safe, DNR is asking you to avoid all external fires, including limiting the use of campfires and making sure to properly extinguish and dispose of cigarettes,” the statement said. . “Outdoor enthusiasts should also be wary of off-road vehicles or equipment that can create a spark and start a fire.”
A spokesman for the state’s Department of Natural Resources did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Experts said last week that much of the country is preparing for another potentially dangerous forest fire season.
Last year, millions of hectares burned in a record season of forest fires that concentrated mainly in the western half of the country, in states like California, Washington and Oregon. But this year, the flames have already occurred in the Upper Plains, Rockies, Great Lakes and southwest regions.
Nearly 1,800 firefighters mobilized to fight at least 19 fires in these regions on Friday, said previously Stanton Florea, a spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center.
While fire experts are not yet in a panic, they are preparing for the worst, said Carrie Bilbao, a spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management who also works with the National Interagency Fire Center.
“The fire season can be anytime,” said Bilbao. “We just don’t have these rainy seasons consistently.”