As last snow melts, fire danger rises

If you go from snow shovels to fire hoses in one week, you know you live in the Northland.

Spring wildfire danger has crashed upon Minnesota and Wisconsin in recent days just a week after one of winter's biggest wallops.

April is usually the region's most intense months for wildfire, after snow recedes and before new green growth appears later in May. Last year's dead grass and leaves dry quickly after a few days without rain. And any warm, sunny days with high winds now raise the chance that small fires will grow big.

On Tuesday Minnesota fire officials raised the state's fire danger/preparedness level from 2 to 3 on a scale of 5. Burning permits are now required in all counties of the state for any brush or debris fires.

So far the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids reports 81 total wildfires for 2,743 acres burned statewide. That's already near last year's 3,000 acres that burned in Minnesota, a near-record low. An average year sees about 13,000 acres burn, mostly in spring. The recent record big year was more than 100,000 acres in 2006.

Sunday saw the first red-flag warning for burning danger in Minnesota, in northwestern counties, with fires in recent days reported near Red Lake, near Nisswa, Warroad, Park Rapids, Deer River, Little Falls, Sandstone and Cambridge.

"The fire near Red Lake on Monday, near Goodridge, burned 350 acres. It threatened a couple of structures. We had all our aircraft on it," said Christi Powers, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center. "We had one in Bemidji Saturday that went from an (intentional) debris fire to a grass fire to burning a garage. So we're asking people to be careful and to check on the burning restrictions."

The fire near Nisswa in Crow Wing County Monday burned rapidly up into pine trees and spread across about 20 acres.

Frost is leaving the ground quickly "so it's like a tinderbox," Capt. Scott Goddard, of the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, told the Brainerd Dispatch. "Any of the grass areas ... even if there is just a little wind, will be susceptible to fires moving very rapidly, especially during the daytime hours."

A Minnesota aircraft and crew members returned Tuesday after being on loan to a large fire in Oklahoma and no other state crews will be sent to other states in the near future.

"We're keeping them at home for the time being," Powers said.

Minnesota currently has eight firefighting airplanes and seven helicopters stationed across the state, with the highest fire danger in the areas of Warroad, Brainerd and Itasca-Aitkin counties, Powers said. She said the state may call in larger, multi-engine aircraft that are on retainer.

"It was a slow start with the (cold and snowy) weather but we are ramping up now," Powers said. "It was somewhat remarkable how fast we went from substantial snow cover to fires."

The dryer conditions are also perfect for state and federal agency crews to light intentional "prescribed" fires to remove dead and downed timber and other material to rob future wildfires of fuel or to create wildlife habitat. Those initial fires already are occurring but will be halted if conditions get too dry or too windy.

In Wisconsin, western counties reported "moderate" fire danger Tuesday and some burning restrictions are in place in areas where there is no snow on the ground.

Wildfire season can start in February and March in years with little winter snow and cold. But the good news from all the cold and snow lasting well into April is that this year's spring fire season will be short - greenup should come fairly soon after the snow melts. But it can still be intense.

Sunny skies are expected for Wednesday as high pressure moves into the region with lower humidity and the possibility of gusty southwest winds in some areas - perfect conditions for fires to grow.

Sunday could be a higher fire danger day as well, with little precipitation this week and highs near 70 and breezy conditions.

For current information on fire danger and burning restrictions in Minnesota, check www.dnr.state.mn.us and search burning permits. In Wisconsin go to www.dnr.wi.gov and search burning permits.

1/2: Forest fire on Monday near Nisswa, Minn. Minnesota wildfire experts say snow has melted remarkably fast in recent days, exposing dry terrain to heightened fire danger. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

2/2: Forest fire on Monday near Nisswa, Minn. Minnesota wildfire experts say snow has melted remarkably fast in recent days, exposing dry terrain to heightened fire danger.