On Friday, March 14 the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement about a potentially high risk of fire weather conditions. According to the service, the risk comes due to a mixture of possibly dangerous factors. The combination of high winds, dry conditions, and low humidity mean that there is a higher than average probability that natural fires may start and spread. These potential risk factors may allow fires to become a higher threat than usual.
Waukesha County has been updated to a ‘Very High Fire Risk’ for March 14, which is the second most dangerous status. It falls right below the ‘Extreme Fire Risk’ category. Due to the unfavorable weather conditions, the National Weather Service advises against starting any fires outdoors. This would include postponing any outdoor burning, such as campfires, leaf piles, and discarded cigarettes. Dry brush poses a threat of being highly flammable and increased wind speeds can allow fires to ignite and spread rapidly.
Several fires have been reported throughout Lake Country in the past week as these conditions have persisted. Two small brush fires were reported in Genesee Depot, although both were small and quickly controlled. Brush fires were also reported in Ashippun, Ottawa, Sullivan, and Mukwonago. These fires were fairly quickly handled by local departments, where fire teams marked them as being under control within a short period.
On Wednesday, March 12 a structure fire in Hartland posed a threat to the community. At around 4:30 p.m., the Waste Management building on Progress Drive caught fire. Billows of smoke could be seen from as far away as Pewaukee. Firefighters ensured that the building was clear of civilians because as the fire grew, there was a risk that the entire structure could collapse. However, the fire was brought under control. Although no cause has been confirmed by authorities, dry and windy conditions may have allowed the fire to spread further if not for the efforts of the fire departments.
The special weather statement also comes on the heels of the Brookfield brush fire that occurred Sunday, March 9. The fire resulted in almost 100 acres of damaged land. Unfavorable weather conditions such as heavy gusts of wind and low air humidity allowed for the fire to spread. Several nearby homes and businesses were evacuated, although none of them were impacted.
