April showers have not been enough to protect May’s flowers.
Fire danger across the state remains very high, according to a press release by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on Sunday.
In early April, the cause was the dryness in the air and on the ground, with high winds. Spring greens — referring to the grass turning green and trees sprouting leaves thanks to rain promoting growth — had yet to come, making the potential for wildfires high.
This time around, the dryness is still an issue, the DNR said — despite things looking sunny and green outside. There is another phenomenon that’s contributing to the high rates of fire danger. It’s called the “spring dip.” According to the DNR, during this time, moisture content in pine trees is low, while the starch content is high. This combination isn’t visible to the naked eye, the DNR said, which means pine trees are more likely to catch fire during a wildfire. Crown fires, or fires in the tree tops, also are possible.