Wildfire

Air tanker retardant drop on wildfire at Sherburne NWR, May, 1990.

In an average year Sherburne NWR will have several wildfires that occur on and/or near the Refuge. The frequency and size of these fires is largely dependant on weather conditions. The vast majority of wildfires on the Refuge, and in Sherburne County, are caused by humans. Off the Refuge many fires are started as a result of debris burning. Often these fires are rekindled, in some cases several days after a debris fire is thought to be out, when air temperature, wind speed and relative humidity come together to create conditions favorable
for fires to burn and spread.

Lightning also is responsible for fires starting on the Refuge. Such fires occur at a frequency of about one every three or four years. Lightning here is generally associated with rain, so these fires do not usually grow to a large size. Often they are found by people as a smoldering stump where lightning has struck a tree in the woods and caused it to fall down. The stumps will smolder until they start to produce enough smoke for someone to see and report.

Human caused fires that start on the Refuge are most often the result of arson or carelessness. These fires are usually suppressed before they become large, but some have reached into the hundreds of acres and threatened life and property off the Refuge.

The staff of Sherburne NWR works closely with the Minnesota DNR Offices in Zimmerman, MN and Cambridge, MN. DNR firefighters will often assist Refuge staff in the suppression of wildfires on the Refuge. Likewise, the DNR often calls upon Refuge staff to assist with the suppression of wildfires off the Refuge. To get an idea of the distribution and size of fires that the Refuge Staff has suppressed, or worked on with the DNR, see the "Fire History" web pages for individual years.

Fire detection for the Refuge is primarily done by the Minnesota DNR. The Sand Dunes State Forest Fire Tower south of the Refuge provides constant surveillance during periods of high fire danger. The DNR's fire detection aircraft also flies a route that crosses the Refuge several times a day during these periods. Fires are also frequently called into the DNR, or the Refuge, by sharp eyed public that see smoke while out driving or hiking. The common occurrence of cell phones has increased the speed at which the public can report a fire. This allows fire personnel to act while a fire is still small.

The Refuge does not use "Wildland Fire Use" (WFU). In light of the relatively small size of the Refuge, and the surrounding urban interface with it's associated life and property values, all unplanned ignitions (wildfires) at Sherburne NWR are suppressed, by either direct or indirect attack, as soon as possible, to minimize risk to life and property