Fire danger in February

W

Weimdogman

Well-known member
Watching the news and as most of S.
Dak. is without snow and high winds are forecast , there is a high fire danger warning.
Not a common occurrence this time of year.
 
The local weather here has also been showing the "snow-cover" map. Almost all of S. Dakota, Nebraska and a slice of western Iowa are without snow. It really lets the temps shoot-up! Makes life for pheasants much easier too. It is really getting dry here, I have been seeing big cracks opening up in the ground. Hope later March and early April yields about 2-3" of rain a week to get things back on track. Spring burns will burn all the thatch this spring...and everthing else it can get near...the local volunteer fire departments might be looking a busy season. Controlled burns will need a ton of supervision if this dought continues.
 
Funny thing I saw the fire danger at the beginning of a news cast but it was never brought up again or ever mentioned on another channel's news.
 
No one thinks of fire until it happens. Grass fires can be as or even more dangerous than forest fires. Look at northern Colorado for an extreme example. Most of my friends on the plains are scared to death of folks pulling into a "parking" area with grass reaching the frame of the vehicle, knowing there is a red hot catalytic converter under there.
 
remy3424 said:
The local weather here has also been showing the "snow-cover" map. Almost all of S. Dakota, Nebraska and a slice of western Iowa are without snow. It really lets the temps shoot-up! Makes life for pheasants much easier too. It is really getting dry here, I have been seeing big cracks opening up in the ground. Hope later March and early April yields about 2-3" of rain a week to get things back on track. Spring burns will burn all the thatch this spring...and everthing else it can get near...the local volunteer fire departments might be looking a busy season. Controlled burns will need a ton of supervision if this dought continues.
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Controlled burns. = oxymoron 😳
Wish I could still be making the money that I did way back…trying to put out ”controlled burns”
That got away from .. the burners..both private and government.. In fact we use to joke wher they drew the line the controlled burn” boundary is where we would initiate suppression…of what was now designated a wildfire😬
The feds in fact stopped using the term controlled burn to. Proscribed Burn??!!
 
david0311 said:
Controlled burns. = oxymoron 😳
Wish I could still be making the money that I did way back…trying to put out ”controlled burns”
That got away from .. the burners..both private and government.. In fact we use to joke wher they drew the line the controlled burn” boundary is where we would initiate suppression…of what was now designated a wildfire😬
The feds in fact stopped using the term controlled burn to. Proscribed Burn??!!
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Yes, good point. At a national park last summer it was explained that almost all fires are "controlled". Most are started accidentally, but then controlled. Some are even allowed to burn more than you might expect. "Prescribed" implies planned & intentionally set. It's semantics, but I found it interesting.
 
I am on 3 VFD's in SD and I also participate in controlled burns with the USFWS. I would argue their success level is extremely high. The amount of burns that get out of the box for this fire zone is maybe 2%. Plus the professionalism and training of the fire crews are outstanding.
 
3car said:
I am on 3 VFD's in SD and I also participate in controlled burns with the USFWS. I would argue their success level is extremely high. The amount of burns that get out of the box for this fire zone is maybe 2%. Plus the professionalism and training of the fire crews are outstanding.
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Thank you for your service and professionalism.
 
3car said:
I am on 3 VFD's in SD and I also participate in controlled burns with the USFWS. I would argue their success level is extremely high. The amount of burns that get out of the box for this fire zone is maybe 2%. Plus the professionalism and training of the fire crews are outstanding.
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I don't suppose you guys take requests?? lol. I hunt a WPA that was two years ago absolutely incredible, last year still pretty good, but declining and this year, even worse.

Thanks for your service.
 
Not necessarily. 2020 was a green year for us and where this spot is located actually only reached "Abnormally Dry" for a brief period at the end of June/early July and then it was back in the "None" category and still is. This location was gnarly and weedy two years ago, but had decent grass mixed it. Now, the weeds are coming out on top. They tried to graze it this year, but it needs to be burned. IMO.
 
Golden Hour said:
I don't suppose you guys take requests?? lol. I hunt a WPA that was two years ago absolutely incredible, last year still pretty good, but declining and this year, even worse.

Thanks for your service.
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In a normal year I usually had 30 units ready to go for an 8 county district. That includes burn plans, adjacent landowner contacts and relevant fire breaks in place. Odds are there is a plan already for that unit. The limiting factor most burns seasons are of course the weather. What unit is it? Locations?
 
3car said:
In a normal year I usually had 30 units ready to go for an 8 county district. That includes burn plans, adjacent landowner contacts and relevant fire breaks in place. Odds are there is a plan already for that unit. The limiting factor most burns seasons are of course the weather. What unit is it? Locations?
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I figured there is a plan in place well ahead of time. This particular piece is in Hamlin County.
 
Those maps are not correct. I am in Brookings County,far eastern edge of the state and it is dry,dry,dry. Lakes are down,Sioux River was almost dry,and some creeks are. Cattail sloughs are dry and have considerable mowing done.
 
Weimdogman said:
Those maps are not correct. I am in Brookings County,far eastern edge of the state and it is dry,dry,dry. Lakes are down,Sioux River was almost dry,and some creeks are. Cattail sloughs are dry and have considerable mowing done.
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Sounds like Central Minnesota where I live.

Worst drought since 1988 and if we do not receive a monsoon of rain this spring, it will continue. I'm all for a productive pheasant nesting season, but alleviating the worst drought in my lifetime is more important.
 
Gravel road here that goes between 2 sloughs.
3 years ago I was walking/swimming my dogs there. I could only go about 50 yards from either end or water was to deep for my hip waders.

2 years ago I could walk the whole thing in hip waders.

Last year in the spring I could walk it in 12" rubber boots. All summer and rest of the year dry. Drove down it this fall and only slightly muddy in 2 places.
 
Weimdogman said:
Gravel road here that goes between 2 sloughs.
3 years ago I was walking/swimming my dogs there. I could only go about 50 yards from either end or water was to deep for my hip waders.

2 years ago I could walk the whole thing in hip waders.

Last year in the spring I could walk it in 12" rubber boots. All summer and rest of the year dry. Drove down it this fall and only slightly muddy in 2 places.
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Sounds like its getting back to normal where you can drive on the road. Doesn't mean drought. Them couple 2-3 years ago was way, way wetter then normal so you got a swimming hole for a little bit. Especially if there's drain tile in the area. The high water time was the NOT normal time.
 
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