About 10 years ago I publised an article for The Prairie Promoter about burn permits in Wisconsin. There have been some important changes at the state level in how these burn permits are issued, so this Blog is a revised version of that article.
Note that there are two kinds of permits issued. The important permits for those carrying out prescribed burns are for daytime burns. The other permit deals with burns begun after 6 PM in the evening and on relatively small acreages. Daytime permits require the submission to the regional forester of a prescribed burn plan. After 6 PM permits require simply the application to the local fire warden. Both types of burn permits are discussed below.
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Burning permits are required for controlled burns in some
parts of Wisconsin but not others. The regulations on burning are quite
complicated and there is considerable variation across the state. In general,
it can be stated that regulations are most stringent in those areas that are
predominantly forested. It is in these areas that the Division of Forestry of
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has the responsibility for
controlling forest fires. In the Wisconsin Statutes, the term “forest fire”
means “uncontrolled, wild, or running fires occurring on forest, marsh, field,
cutover or other lands or involving farm, city or village property and
improvements...” (WS 26.11). This broad definition obviously covers the types
of burning activities which concern restoration ecologists.
Although much of the DNR regulations are focused on
preventing forest fires, the DNR also recognizes that “prescribed burning
reduces unwanted vegetation and logging debris. It prepares sites for tree
planting or direct seeding. And it reduces the potential for destructive
wildfires by reducing fuel accumulations.”
As far as burning regulations are concerned, four types of
areas in the state are recognized: intensive, extensive, cooperative, and municipal. See the map below for details.
Intensive fire control areas
In
Intensive Protection Areas the DNR is responsible for forest fire control.
These areas are the most heavily forested and contain the most fire hazards and
risk (red areas in the map). They have more DNR fire suppression resources and ranger stations. Fire
detection is accomplished with fire towers, aerial detection, and citizen
reporting. The most restrictive burning laws are in effect. These laws are
regulated by the DNR and require a burning permit whenever the ground is not
snow covered throughout the year.
The Intensive Protection
Areas are primarily in the northern part of the state. Also classified as
intensive is a large area centered on Necedah. (See map) Note that in these
areas burning permits are required at any time the ground is not snow
covered, except inside incorporated villages or cities. Permits can be obtained
from local emergency fire wardens and DNR field stations.
Extensive fire control areas
The
DNR is also responsible for forest fire control in Extensive Protection Areas.
These are less forested than intensive areas and have fewer DNR suppression
resources and ranger stations. Hazards and risk are still high in these areas.
Fire detection is accomplished with aerial detection and citizen reporting.
Burning is regulated by the DNR and except within incorporated villages and
cities permits are needed whenever the ground is not snow covered from January
1 through May 31 (and other times when the department so orders). Daytime permits can
be obtained from local emergency fire wardens and DNR ranger stations upon submission of a prescribed burn plan.
The Extensive Fire Protection Areas
are predominantly along the lower and middle Wisconsin River drainage, and
include the Dodgeville and Waupaca Dispatch Groups. (See map)
Cooperative fire control areas
Some
parts of the state are not sufficiently forested and do not contain the hazards
and risks necessary to warrant intensive or extensive fire protection. These
areas are designated as Cooperative Fire Protection Areas. DNR ranger stations
and suppression resources are not located in these areas. Town chairpersons
have the responsibility for suppressing forest fires. This is accomplished
through the local fire departments, with the DNR only providing technical and
financial assistance. The town
board regulates burning and restrictions vary throughout the state.
Included here are vast areas of the
state in the southern, south-central, southeast, northeast, and west central
parts of the states. (White areas on the map) In these areas burning permits are issued by the
town chairperson or other appointed wardens. There is great variability here in
how burning is regulated. Many towns do not regulate at all and permits are not required. Some entities do not
even want to be notified if a controlled burn is to take place. Suppression is carried out by the local fire department (rural or municipal).
Incorporated cities and villages
Burning permits may be required by
local ordinances, and permits are issued by local government officials or fire
departments, which should be contacted for information. Regulation of controlled
burning may be stricter in cities and villages than in towns, although there is
considerable variation across the state. In many cases incorporated areas
regulate burning not because of potential fire hazard, but due to air pollution
concerns.
Fire Management Dispatch Groups
In the Intensive and Extensive fire control areas,
the state is divided into a number of Fire Management Dispatch Groups (named in
the county-by-county table below). These are groups named from the community in which
the central office is located. Within each Dispatch Group, a number of separate
Fire Response Units (FRUs) have been established. For instance, the Dodgeville
Group has FRUs at Spring Green, Boscobel, Richland Center, and Poynette.
Burning permits are issued at each FRU for locations in its area.
Daytime and evening permits
As mentioned above, two
kinds of burn permits are issued, one for fires started after 6:00 P.M., and
one for daytime fires.
Daytime permits must be obtained through the local FRU. These are issued based on submitted prescribed burn plans and can be written for the whole spring burn season. However, specific verbal authorization must be obtained on the morning of the day on which the burn is to be carried out. The authorization is obtained by telephone either from the responsible fire ranger or through the regional dispatch group.
The rationale for the 6:00 P.M. permit is that in the evening humidity is generally higher and winds are lighter, making the burn less hazardous. Under most cases, an “after 6:00 P.M. permit” can be written by a local fire warden without prior approval of the DNR in the FRU. These permits are written for a whole year. However, the holder must call the DNR hotline (1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) or access the burning restriction web site (dnr.wi.gov/wisburn) to ensure that burning is permitted on that day. Regulation is done on a county by county basis, and the information is updated after 11 AM daily.
Daytime permits must be obtained through the local FRU. These are issued based on submitted prescribed burn plans and can be written for the whole spring burn season. However, specific verbal authorization must be obtained on the morning of the day on which the burn is to be carried out. The authorization is obtained by telephone either from the responsible fire ranger or through the regional dispatch group.
The rationale for the 6:00 P.M. permit is that in the evening humidity is generally higher and winds are lighter, making the burn less hazardous. Under most cases, an “after 6:00 P.M. permit” can be written by a local fire warden without prior approval of the DNR in the FRU. These permits are written for a whole year. However, the holder must call the DNR hotline (1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) or access the burning restriction web site (dnr.wi.gov/wisburn) to ensure that burning is permitted on that day. Regulation is done on a county by county basis, and the information is updated after 11 AM daily.
The local fire department
In
cooperative and incorporated areas, the local fire department has the
responsibility if a controlled burn gets out of hand. In intensive and
extensive fire control areas, the local fire department works closely with the
DNR to suppress fires. In all cases it is essential that the local fire
department be notified ahead of time that a prescribed burn is to take place. In these days of widespread use of
cellular telephones and the 911 emergency system, dispatching agencies
occasionally receive 911 calls from citizens reporting not only wildfires but
also controlled burns. Even if the local fire department has been notified
ahead of time of an upcoming burn, it is still required to respond to a 911
call, but may not need to mobilize its full forces.
Summary
Area (see map)
|
Requirements
|
Cooperative
|
No DNR burning permit required. However, the township may
have its own permit system or other burning regulations. Check with the Town
Chairman.
|
Extensive
|
Burning permits required from January 1 through May 31
whenever the ground is not snow covered.
|
Intensive
|
Burning permits required all year long whenever the ground
is not snow covered.
|
Procedures for specific locations
A large amount of information on the DNR forest fire program
is available on the DNR web site. This link is a useful entry point. This web page provides a county-level table and map of the whole
state. By clicking on an appropriate area one can determine how that area is
regulated and obtain telephone numbers and other information.
I have summarized in the table below the information from
this web site for the whole state on a county by county basis. This table is
only intended to give an overview. It is strongly recommended that the DNR web
site be accessed to obtain specific information on a particular county, or part
of a county. If the area to be burned is within one of the Dispatch Groups, the
web site will give telephone numbers where further information can be obtained.
Some counties are only partially regulated by the DNR
Note that some counties have split designations so that parts may be under DNR control and others are only under local control. The map above shows those counties.
For instance, in Dane County only a few townships in the northwest part are under DNR control: Berry; Black Earth; Mazomanie; Roxbury; and Vermont; with only a small part of Blue Mounds
(north fragment only). All other townships in Dane County are under local
control. Those under DNR control are heavily forested. The table below should be consulted for information on a specific county.
Fire Response
Units by County
County |
Fire
Response Unit
|
Type
of area
|
Adams
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Ashland
(south east)
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Ashland
(north west)
|
Brule
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Ashland
(Chequamegon N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Barron
(most))
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Barron
(east)
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Barron
(north)
|
Cumberland
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Bayfield
(except south)
|
Brule
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Bayfield
(Chequamegon N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Brown
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Buffalo
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Burnett
(small area south)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Burnett
(most)
|
Cumberland
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Calumet
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Chippewa
(part)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Chippewa
(north)
|
Black
River Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Clark
(part)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Clark
(west and south)
|
Black
River Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Columbia
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Columbia
(small area in northwest)
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Crawford
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Dane
(most)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Dane
(north west)
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Dodge
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Door
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Douglas
|
Brule
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Dunn
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Eau
Claire (most)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Eau
Claire (east)
|
Black
River Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Florence
(east)
|
Peshtigo
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Florence
(Nicolet N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Fond
du Lac
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Forest
(south west)
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Forest
(south)
|
Peshtigo
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Forest
(Nicolet N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Grant
(most)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Grant
(north))
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Green
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Green
Lake
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Iowa
(south)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Iowa
(north)
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Iron
|
Brule
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Jackson
(part)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Jackson
(east and north)
|
Black
River Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Jefferson
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Juneau
(part)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Juneau
(north and east)
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Kenosha
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Kewaunee
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
La
Crosse
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Lafayette
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Langlade
(east)
|
Peshtigo
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Langlade
(west)
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Lincoln
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Manitowoc
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Marathon
(west)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Marathon
(north)
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Marathon
(south and east)
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Marinette
|
Peshtigo
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Marquette
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Menominee
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Milwaukee
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Monroe
(south)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Monroe
(north)
|
Black
River Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Oconto
|
Peshtigo
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Oneida
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Outagamie
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Ozaukee
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Pepin
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Pierce
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Polk
(small area in north)
|
Cumberland
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Polk
(most)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Portage
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Price
(part)
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Price
(Chequamegon N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Racine
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Richland
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Rock
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Rusk
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Sauk
(Delton and Dellona Townships)
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Sauk
(most of county)
|
Dodgeville
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Sawyer
(part)
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Sawyer
(Chequamegon N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
|
Shawano
(east)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Shawano
(west)
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Sheboygan
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
St.
Croix
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Taylor
|
Park
Falls Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Trempealeau
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Vernon
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Vilas
(part)
|
Woodruff
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Vilas
(Nicolet N.F.)
|
U.S.
Forest Service
|
Coop
|
Walworth
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Washburn
|
Cumberland
Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
Washington
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Waukesha
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Waupaca
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Waushara
|
Waupaca
Dispatch Group
|
Extensive
|
Winnebago
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Wood
(north)
|
Cooperative
Area
|
Coop
|
Wood
(south)
|
Wisconsin
Rapids Dispatch Group
|
Intensive
|
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