Peat fires are unique and challenging in Minnesota winters
Image via Wikipedia Peat fires can be a common occurrence during a dry Minnesota summer. They are normally rare in the middle of the winter, but this season may be an exception. The winter peat fire Dec. 26 near the town of Gully in Polk County, which was ignited by a surface fire in grass and brush, is an example of the increased challenges faced by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and local fire fighters. They battled cold, wintery conditions to control the fire before ultimately putting it out. “It’s unusual for us to be battling a peat fire at this time of year,” said Brian Pisarek, DNR Northeast Region program forester and peat fire expert. “The lack of precipitation this fall made conditions just right for something like this to happen.” There have been several other wildfires that resulted in peat ignition in northwestern Minnesota from fall through early January. That’s a testament to the unusual weather conditions in Minnesota recently. Flooding the burn...