Connect with us

Wisconsin

Area and Wisconsin DNR fire officials say wild land fires are up significantly this year so far

Published

2 years ago

on

Area and Wisconsin DNR fire officials say wild land fires are up significantly this year so far


EAU CLAIRE COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) – A grass fire just south of Eau Claire is one of several that fire crews responded to in recent days.

“7 fires over the course of a week is a pretty busy week. Historically for how often our agency responds to fires,” said Andrew Sorenson.

He is a team leader with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Division. Sorenson said the dry conditions have kept him and others responding to fire busy this year.

“We actually started our year really early. Our first fire in Augusta here was actually February 2nd. Which is very odd. We’re normally under snow cover,” said Sorenson.

Advertisement

The 7 fires he mentioned were for areas considered east of Eau Claire, which include: Augusta, Neillsville, Black River Falls and slightly up north Jim Falls.

He said there is a range of causes he knows of when it comes to the fires, and they include stray ambers and cigarette butts among other things.

“The last 7 days, our number cause has been down power lines. That’s a function of these high wind speeds that we’ve had,” said Sorenson.

“They spread really fast and can be much larger with the wind driven and the dry conditions we have currently,” said Altoona Fire Department Chief Mark Renderman.

He communicates with area fire departments through his role as president of the Eau Claire County Fire Chiefs Association.

Advertisement

“We’re responding to more grass fires, and even grass fires that are in your backyard, has been an increase this year than in years past,” said Renderman. “I would say we’re probably seeing about a 30% increase in wild land fires this year than last year.”

There are chances for precipitation in the coming days, but officials say that probably won’t be enough.

“We can have rain one day, and if we have a nice warm, blue, beautiful, sunshine day the next day, those grasses will be ready to burn,” said Sorenson.

He and Chief Renderman said things should ease up as the grass, and landscapes in general, become greener.

Sorenson said in the past 7 days there have been 87 wild land fires that burned 100 acres state-wide.

Advertisement

Copyright 2024 WEAU. All rights reserved.



Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Wisconsin

Carrington scores 18 points to lead Wisconsin’s 78-45 throttling of Maryland

Published

9 hours ago

on

March 5, 2026

By


MADISON (AP) — Reserve Braeden Carrington scored 18 points, John Blackwell scored 14 points and Wisconsin poured it on in the second half to dismantle Maryland 78-45 on Wednesday night.

Nick Boyd scored 13 points and reserve Austin Rapp scored 11 points for Wisconsin (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten), which had 11 players enter the scoring column.

The Badgers’ Andrew Rohde passed out six of Wisconsin’s 15 assists and didn’t commit a turnover. Wisconsin turned it over only three times.

Andre Mills scored 14 points and Elijah Saunders scored 11 points for Maryland.

Advertisement

Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. The Badgers shot 48% (27 of 56) and made 42% (13 of 31) from 3-point range. The Badgers scored 44 second-half points.

It was the fewest point Maryland (11-19, 4-15) has ever posted against Wisconsin in the shot-clock era. It was also Maryland’s lowest point total of the season.

Wisconsin has won five of its last seven. Maryland has lost five of its last six.

Up next

Maryland wraps up the regular season hosting 11th-ranked Illinois on Saturday.

Wisconsin ends the regular season at No. 15 Purdue on Saturday.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

Published

21 hours ago

on

March 4, 2026

By

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell


(WLUK) — As winter thaws, Wisconsinites are encouraged to think about preparing for potential flooding.

Gov. Evers has declared March 9 -13 as Flood Safety Week in Wisconsin.

During Flood Safety Awareness Week, ReadyWisconsin is asking everyone to review their flooding risk and take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and businesses before waters rise.

  • Know your flood risk. Assess the potential for flooding on your property if you live in a flood plain, near a body of water, or have a basement. Plan with your family for what you will do if the floodwaters begin to rise.
  • Consider flood insurance. Most homeowner, rental, and business insurance policies generally do not cover flooding. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Most flood coverage requires 30 days to take effect. Find more information about flood insurance options here.
  • Move valuables or mementos out of the basement and store them in waterproof containers.
  • Elevate or flood-proof your washer, dryer, water heater, and HVAC systems. Relocate electrical outlets to three feet above the floor.
  • Have copies of important documents (personal identification like passports and birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial documents) in a waterproof container.
  • Build a “Go Kit.” Include items such as food, water, cash, and medications.
  • Make an emergency plan. If you can’t make it home or need to leave quickly, identify a meeting place for your family. Make a list of emergency numbers and important contacts.
  • Keep water out of and away from your house. Clean gutters regularly, direct downspouts away from your foundation, repair cracks in your foundation, improve grading so water flows away from your house, and cover window wells.

When flooding occurs, keep the following steps in mind:

  • Stay up to date on the forecast. Identify multiple ways to receive alerts about dangerous weather conditions and potential flooding, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, trusted local news outlets, and mobile weather apps. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your smartphones.
  • Never drive or walk through flooded areas. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep adults off their feet, while just 12 inches can carry away a small car or 24 inches for larger vehicles. Moving water is not the only danger, your vehicle could potentially stall when driving through floodwater.
Comment with Bubbles

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Advertisement

Flooding could potentially impact your health as well. Avoid entering floodwaters, which can contain bacteria from human and animal waste, sharp objects, hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, and other dangerous items. If your home floods, follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines to avoid mold growth.



Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

1 day ago

on

March 4, 2026

By

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026


play

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Advertisement

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 1-2-1

Evening: 8-2-7

Advertisement

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 6-2-9-4

Evening: 2-0-1-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 02-03-06-07-08-09-10-12-15-20-22

Advertisement

Evening: 03-05-06-08-12-13-14-16-17-18-20

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

03-15-17-24-30

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from March 3 drawing

16-17-27-29-34-35, Doubler: N

Advertisement

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

  • Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
  • Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
  • All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
  • Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending