1977 Spring Fire Season – The “Big Ones” This year marks the 30th anniversary of several significant wildfires in Wisconsin. Forest fire conditions in 1977 were the most severe the state had seen since 1936. The 1977 fire season started in the middle of March in the southern part of the state and by the last week in March, all areas in the state were reporting fires. The 1976 drought continued into 1977 until the middle of May when spring rains lowered the fire danger. The period from April 24 through May 7 was the worst for Wisconsin. Several large fires occurred in pine timber. Fire burning through the tree tops and embers flying long distances was common. Many people involved in fire control were introduced to large fires burning in tree tops for the first time. By the end of 1977, the total number of fires reported in parts of the state where DNR is responsible for wildfire suppression (about half the state) were 1,861 fires, burning 48,806 acres. In parts of the state where local fire departments are responsible for wildfire suppression, 2,062 fires were reported, burning just over 17,000 acres. Saratoga Fire April 27, 1977 was a beautiful day by warm spring standards. With a temperature of 79 degrees, it was a day to be outside and enjoy the warmth. But fire control personnel were worried. With a humidity of only 18% and wind speeds around 12 miles per hour, they knew the stage was set for wildfires. At 12:37 pm a wildfire was intentionally set in Wood County and began Fifteen tractor plows worked on the Saratoga Fire. Map showing the proximity of the Airport and Brockway fires. spreading east. It reached the Buena Vista marsh, which was 6.5 miles away in only 3.5 hours. At this point, the wind switched and a part of the fire began heading south while the main fire continued burning 4 to 5 more miles of prairie to the east. Units from the DNR and private sources were assigned to the fire. In total, 15 tractor plows, 18 bulldozers, 12 fire departments and about 100 men and women worked on the fire. The fire was finally controlled at 11:00 pm, after burning 6,159 acres. In the end, 5 homes, 1 house trailer, 10 barns, and 84 out buildings were destroyed. Approximately 300 buildings were saved. Total damages were over a million dollars. Brockway Fire On the same day at 1:15 pm, a westbound Chicago and Northwestern train began setting fires 3 to 4 miles east of Black River Falls and continued igniting areas along the track almost all the way to the city before the train was finally stopped. Severe weather conditions that day resulted in fires that immediately began burning in the tree tops of jack pine. Calls were immediately sent out to the adjacent areas for additional equipment, but because An estimated 1,500 people evacuated during the Airport Fire. of the Saratoga Fire, these fires were short on tractor plows. The series of fires ultimately combined together to form one large fire, named Brockway. This fire was running to the northeast into large areas of solid jack pine and then the wind switched and the fire started heading to the south and southeast. This fire jumped the interstate twice. Later in the afternoon, an illegal cooking fire escaped and joined the railroad fires. The Brockway Fire was finally controlled at 2:15 am on April 28th after burning 17,590 acres with damages over $1,400,000, including the loss of 14 homes. Continued on the inside Airport Fire Many homes were lost to the 1977 wildfires. The mop-up of the Saratoga and Brockway fires was progressing rather well on the early afternoon of April 30 when two more fires broke out in the Black River Falls area. One fire started when a chain saw exploded in an area of heavy slash. Windy conditions drove this fire fast towards the Village of Brockway and Black River Falls, causing 1,500 people to evacuate. About 75 minutes later another fire, believed to have been intentionally set as a backfire on private property, started alongside the first fire. These fires Spread pattern of the Five-Mile Tower Fire. ended up burning together, threatening to destroy dozens of homes in its path. With the assistance of 63 fire departments, no buildings were lost. At 10:00 pm, the fire These fires happened long enough ago that was controlled after burning 3,037 acres. many of you may think that fires of this magnitude are a thing of the past. Truth is that in many parts of the state, the potential for wildfires on this level are a very real Around the same time the Airport Fire started, possibility. The biggest difference between a family was camping just west of Minong 2007 and 1977 is today many more homes in an area surrounded by jack pine when and other buildings have been built in areas a spark blew out of their campfire. These of high wildfire danger. Wisconsin has a campers thought their fire had been fully long history of destructive wildfires, which extinguished, when in fact, there were still continues until this day. Each year many embers present that were able to ignite by homes across Wisconsin are destroyed, the warm, windy conditions of the day. The damaged, or threatened by wildfire. fire was named the Five Mile Tower Fire and burned 13,375 acres of pine forest and at its However, the person who can have the longest point was about 15 miles long. Embers most impact on determining if a building were reported to have flown over a mile will survive a wildfire is the homeowner. ahead of the fire, causing many additional By incorporating “Firewise” principles “spot” fires. The fire was controlled in the before a fire event, homeowners can greatly early morning of May 1 after 83 buildings increase the likelihood that their home were destroyed. Over 300 buildings survived will survive a wildfire, even if it does not the fire, either through direct efforts of fire see a fire truck over the course of a fire. fighters or because homeowners had taken precautions ahead of time to make their properties better able to withstand a wildfire. Today The Five Mile Tower Fire burns in young pine. Five Mile Tower Fire The “Why We’re Worried About Fire” Equation + Fire is a natural part of our environment. Our forests and prairies were burning long before our cities and towns existed. People are living in this fire environment. Many homes are built and maintained without regard to wildfire. + With more people using our wildlands, more human caused fire ignitions are likely. 1850s – 1910 1854 1871 1887 1894 Fueled by slash left from the intensive logging of the era, large catastrophic fires are a common annual occurrence. A single wildfire runs from Amery to Iron River, a distance of 140 miles. Peshtigo Fire: The deadliest fire in America’s history. Between 1,200 and 1,500 lives were lost and more than 1.5 million acres burned. Marshfield burns to the ground. July 27 the Phillips Fire burns over 100,000 acres, destroying 400 homes and much of the downtown area. 13 people died as they tried to escape by swimming across the lake. th + Today’s wildfires can burn intensely and be difficult to control. = Greater loss of life. Increased property losses. Damage to natural resources. More money spent on firefighting. 1914 1915 1930-1934 National Fire Prevention Day inaugurated. Jack Vilas made first forest fire patrol flight from Trout Lake on June 29th. In the dust bowl era, severe drought ravaged the state. During this time period an average of 2,950 fires burned 336,000 acres annually in Wisconsin. Creating an Effective Defensible Space The Three R’s of Defensible Space R R emoval: The removal of entire plants, particularly evergreen trees and shrubs within the defensible space. eduction: The elimination R of plant parts, such as leaves, needles, dead wood, low tree branches, and keeping the grass mowed. eplacement: Substituting highly flammable plants with less hazardous vegetation, for example, removing evergreen shrubs and planting a well– maintained flower bed. As the number of people living in and adjacent to wildlands grows, the likelihood of homes being threatened by wildfire also grows. A critical factor in determining whether or not a home will survive a wildfire is the type, amount, and maintenance of vegetation surrounding the house. Defensible space, sometimes referred to as “Survivable Space,” refers to the area between buildings and an oncoming wildfire where the fuels have been modified enough to reduce wildfire threat and to provide an area where firefighters can safely work to defend the structures. With enough fuel reduction in the defensible space, your home may even be able to survive a wildfire without firefighter assistance. For the next 30 feet, keep the grass cut short, well watered, and free of accumulated flammable debris. Trees and shrubs in this area should be well spaced and preferably restricted to deciduous species (those with leaves that drop in the fall). Look for potential “fuses” like wooden walkways, fences, and weedy gardens that reach from the woods to your buildings. Break these up with patios or green lawn. Keep flammables like lumber and firewood piles out of this area. As a final check, take a stroll around this area with an imaginary match in your hand. If you see a place where you would not feel comfortable lighting that match, throwing it down and walking away, you still have some Firewise work to do. The first 3 to 5 feet around structures should be a fuel-free zone. Avoid planting anything in this area or storing any flammable materials. Better yet, fill in this area with something completely non-flammable, such as decorative stone or gravel. Regularly clean the area to keep it free of any fallen leaves, branches, or pine needles. Continue to keep trees and shrubs well spaced in the area 30 to 100 feet around buildings. This is especially important if the area is predominantly evergreens. Thin trees and shrubs so that they are at least 10 feet apart. Prune branches off the remaining trees 6 to 10 feet up the trunk. This process reduces the “ladder fuels” that would allow a fire to move from the ground to the treetops and from tree to tree, resulting in uncontrollable crown fire. Are You Prepared for Wildfire? 1935 1948 1950 1959 1960s 1977 The tractor/plow is established as standard fire suppression equipment in Wisconsin. Occurrence of large wildfires decreases dramatically. Aldo Leopold, author of “A Sand County Almanac” dies while fighting a grass fire between Portage and Baraboo on April 28th. Smokey Bear makes first public appearance at the Fireman’s Convention Parade in Hurley, Wis., August 3rd. West Marshland Fire: On May 1st, a running crown fire in Burnett County burned 17,560 acres. For the decade of the 1960s, an average of 1,880 fires burned 8,700 acres each year. Railroads were the leading cause of fire. Nearly 49,000 acres burned in 1977. Over 170 structures were destroyed or damaged. Areas worst hit were Jackson, Washburn, Douglas, and Wood Counties. Regarding Your Roof Are You Prepared for Wildfire? ✔Is your roof made of fireresistant materials? Jim Gobel, WDNR ✔ Are your roof and gutters free of leaves, branches, and needles? ✔ Is the vegetation thinned out at least 30’ around all structures? ✔ Is your driveway wide materials out of rain gutters. Also, keep tree branches away from roofs. Remove all branches that hang over the roof, under the eaves, and within 15 feet of the chimney and make sure chimneys are fitted with spark arrestors. When Fire Flies ✔ Are tree limbs around structures pruned up 6 to 10’ off the ground? ✔ Have you removed all flammable materials from under your deck? ✔ Have you moved your firewood stack at least 30’ from structures? ✔ Do you regularly clear out dead vegetation around all structures? ✔ Do you have 100’ of garden hose with a sprayer and sprinkler? ✔ Are your eave vents covered with 1/8” mesh screens? A house can be threatened by a wildfire in three ways: direct exposure from flames, radiation, and airborne firebrands. Of these, firebrands account for the majority of homes burned by wildfire. The most vulnerable part of a house to firebrands is the roof and gutters. For this reason, it is very important that all roofing materials be fire-resistant. A roof that is not fire-resistant is considered a critical factor, meaning that this issue alone can result in home loss should flying embers, sparks, or flames come in contact with the roof. If you are unable to update your roof with fire-resistant materials, you may want to consider alternatives such as a home sprinkler system. Dead vegetation on roofs and around your home provides ideal locations for flying embers to land, smolder, and ignite. It is very important to keep a regular schedule of maintenance to keep these areas clear of fallen needles and leaves. You may want to install “gutter guards” to help keep these flammable ✔ Would a fire truck be able Bob Focht, WDNR to turn around once it reached your home? Chris Klahn, WDNR Roofs and rain gutters should be kept free of fallen leaves, needles, and branches. enough for a fire truck to make it to your home? Firebrands helped this fire spread across a highway by igniting spot fires as they landed in the leaf litter. Firebrands are burning embers produced by wildfire which are lifted high into the air and carried beyond the fire front. Firebrands are one of the major causes of homes burned due to wildfire. Typical firebrand materials include things like pine cones and bark. Depending on wind speed and size of materials, firebrands can be carried more than 1/2 mile ahead of the fire front. A shower of thousands of firebrands can be produced during a major wildfire event. If these firebrands land in areas with easily ignited fuels, such as piles of leaves or pine needles, numerous spot fires can start. Homes located blocks away from the main fire front can be threatened. The Fire Department Will Save My House, Right? Some individuals incorrectly assume that a fire engine will be parked in Is your driveway wide their driveway enough for a fire truck? and firefighters will be actively defending their homes if a wildfire approaches. During a bad fire day when a major wildfire is burning or when several smaller fires are occurring at the same time, it is unlikely there will be enough firefighting resources available to defend every home. In these instances, firefighters will likely select homes they can safely and effectively protect. Even with adequate resources, some wildfires may be so intense that there may be little firefighters can do to prevent a house from burning. The key is to reduce fire intensity as wildfire nears the house. This can be accomplished by reducing the amount of flammable vegetation surrounding a home. Consequently, the most important person in protecting a house from wildfire is not a firefighter, but the property owner. And it’s the action taken by the owner before the wildfire occurs (such as creating an effective defensible space) that is critical. 1980 1982 1988 1990s 2005 Over two days in April, the Ekdall Church Fire in Burnett County and the Oak Lake Fire in Washburn County burned over 16,000 acres and destroyed more than 200 buildings. DNR firefighter Donald Eisberner was killed in the line of duty on April 24th, at the Canoe Landing Fire in Eau Claire County. Deer Print Fire, Douglas County, burns 817 acres. For the decade of the 1990s, an average of 1,600 fires burned 3,400 acres each year. Debris burning was the leading cause of forest fires. The Cottonville Fire in Adams county burned 3,410 acres. Over 100 buildings were destroyed, at least 300 were threatened. Lyndon Station Fire, Juneau County, burns 911 acres and three buildings. On Any Given Weekend: Simple Things You Can Do to Help Your Home Become “Firewise” ✔ If you keep a canoe, boat, wheelbarrow, etc. next to the house, make sure there isn't a pile of leaves or needles hiding underneath! ✔ Keep 100 feet of garden hose hooked to a faucet. Attach a sprayer and keep a sprinkler close by. You may want to do this on more than one side of your home! ✔ Is that a hemp welcome mat in front of your door? Consider replacing it with something less flammable. ✔ Using wood chips or straw in your Improving your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire can seem like an overwhelming task – one that you may feel is impossible to achieve. Not necessarily so! Research shows that flying embers (firebrands) and creeping surface fire are significant contributors to the loss of homes to wildfires . . . sometimes hours after the fire has passed. To begin making your home and property “Firewise,” start with the structures on your property and move out as time allows. Keep in mind that anything attached to a structure (decks, fences, overhangs . . .) is part of the structure. The following tasks can easily be accomplished in one afternoon: ✔ Clean needles, leaves, and branches off roofs and out of rain gutters. This kind of material can easily ignite and spread fire to your home. landscaping provides ideal places for embers to land, smolder, and ignite. If you use these kinds of organic mulches, use them sparingly and never along the sides of your home. Better yet, try less flammable alternatives such as brick chips or decorative stone. Remember to keep a maintenance schedule to ensure your defensible space is lean, clean, and green before spring and fall – generally the worst times for wildfire in Wisconsin. After you’ve done some initial work on the structure, it’s time to begin working outward. Look to what may carry a fire to the structure and begin implementing “The Three R’s of Defensible Space.” Here are some ideas: ✔ Rake all dead grass, leaves, and pine needles away from the base of all structures. ✔ Move that firewood stack at least 30 feet from all structures. Embers have been known to smolder in firewood stacks and catch fire long after the fire itself has passed. ✔ Remove shrubs, saplings, or any other “ladder” fuels from under larger trees. Left in place, these can carry a surface fire into the treetops. ✔ Prune the lower 6 to 10 feet of branches off trees in your defensible space. Prune all dead branches you come across. ✔ Thin out your defensible space. Evergreens are especially flammable and should have at least 15 feet between the branches if they are within 100 feet of a structure. Consider replacing them with hardwoods. ✔ Remove any dead or down vegetation within 100 feet of your home. ✔ The grass is always greener . . . when it is kept watered. Don’t allow grass to dry out around structures. ✔ Create a 10-foot clearance around your propane tank. Keep the grass mowed short or fill in the area with rocks or gravel. ✔ Talk to your neighbors about becoming “Firewise.” ✔ Remove tree branches that extend over your roof. Create extra space around chimneys: 15 feet will do. ✔ Check all areas that tend to be Phil Puestow, WDNR natural traps for leaves, pine needles, and embers from a fire such as on and under decks, window ledges, and next to foundations. Keep these areas clean. Good access, green space, clean roof and gutters, and well-spaced trees pruned up high help to make this home Firewise. The articles in this publication talk about how to incorporate Firewise principles around your home, particularly developing defensible space, eliminating receptive fuel beds for blowing embers, and providing accessibility for fire equipment. Debris Burning: The #1 Cause of Wildfire in Wisconsin Debris burning is the #1 cause of wildfire in Wisconsin. More than 1,000 fires each year are caused by debris burning. In most cases, the person responsible was burning outside local restrictions. Outdoor burning in Wisconsin is regulated and permits may be required whenever the ground is not completely snow covered. Remember! If your open burning project grows into a wildland fire, you will be liable for suppression costs and damages to property, including the value of timber lost. Instead of burning, people are encouraged to consider safer and more environmentally–friendly options like chipping, composting, recycling, and creating brush piles for wildlife habitat. However, if you should decide to burn, there are certain precautions you should take: ✔ Wait to burn until late spring after ✔ In most areas a written permit is ✔ If you use a barrel, please stop! required. Check with your local DNR office, Emergency Fire Warden, or local fire officials before you burn to see if permits are required in your area. ✔Do not begin burning until you fully understand your local burning regulations, techniques, and conditions for when is the safest time of day and year to burn. In the Event of a Wildfire If you are aware that a wildfire is in the vicinity and are not in immediate danger, consider doing the following: the grass has greened up and late in the day after the wind has died down. ✔ When burning piled materials, wait until the ground is completely snow-covered. ✔ Create a 10–foot clearing around any burning container or piled material. ✔ Keep brush piles small. If not completely extinguished, large piles can retain heat buried in the ash for days or even weeks and flare up on a windy day, potentially resulting in wildfire. ✔ Keep burning containers and brush piles away from overhanging branches. But if you must, ensure it is in good condition and the top is covered with a wire screen. ✔ Do not burn on dry, windy days! ✔ Always keep a hose and shovel on hand. Make sure the water is turned on until the burning is complete and the fire is dead out. ✔ NEVER LEAVE YOUR OUTDOOR BURNING UNATTENDED! ✔ Attach your garden hose to an outside faucet and turn it on with the nozzle attached in the ‘closed’ position. Place a sprinkler by the hose if you have one. ✔ Remove flammable deck furniture. ✔ Put ladders up against the roof (non-flammable ones, of course). ✔ Clean off your roof, deck, and rain gutters. ✔ Close all windows and shutters. Remove flammable curtains. Check out These Internet Sites for More Fire-Related Information: ✔ Leave power and outside lights on. ✔ Decide what you would take with WDNR, Forest Fire Program Website ✔ Leave your house/cabin unlocked Firewise Arson Hotline www.firewise.org 1-800-362-3005 you in case you must evacuate. with a note inside of who evacuated, where you are heading, and the time and date. Don’t forget your pets! www.dnr.wi.gov/org/land/forestry/fire The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides equal opportunity in its employment, programs, services, and functions under an Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any questions, please write to Equal Opportunity Office, Department of Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. LP This publication is available in alternative format (large print, Braille, audiotape, etc.) upon request. Please call 608/267-7494 for more information. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER PUB FR-275 2007