The next time you use your charcoal grill or have a campfire, making sure the ashes are completely out could prevent incidents like what occurred in Gardner Sunday afternoon. The Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department responded to a grass fire near Goetz Court just before 2:30 p.m., thanks to a resident calling it into dispatch. Approximately 500 gallons of water were used to put out the fire that burned about half an acre. Fire Chief Curt Vandertie says this is turning into a rite of spring as vegetation dries out and the winds pick up.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a very high fire danger warning for much of the state on Saturday due to dry conditions, the elevated winds, and the low humidity levels.