Buy locally. It is no longer just support the local economy.
With the recent confirmed sightings of the emerald ash borer in Wisconsin, buying firewood locally is now very important to help slow the spread of the destructive insect. People tend to try to save money when camping by bringing their own firewood on trips, but this is the means of transporting the bug, along with several other forest pests.
A number of businesses in and around Brule sell firewood from local trees. Buying local firewood is the best way to slow the spread of exotic forest pests to the Brule River State Forest. Firewood cannot enter any property managed by the DNR, including state parks and forest campgrounds, if it was purchased or harvested outside of Wisconsin or farther than 50 miles from the property.
Likewise, it is a good idea to use all firewood you purchase while camping. Bringing home unused firewood could introduce an invasive pest into your backyard.
- The Brule Ranger Station recorded 1.10 inches of much needed rain Wednesday night. Although the precipitation helps with the dry conditions for now, the area is still almost an inch under average for the month of August. The rain brought the Bois Brule River Flow to 131 cubic feet per second, near the 63-year average is 135 cfs.
Pattison Ranger Station measured a drenching 3.34 inches of rain Wednesday night.
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- A sign summer is coming to an end is the fall migration of common nighthawks now occurring in the area. Common nighthawks are seen in the late evenings, usually just above the land flying in winding and twisting patterns as they migrate south, said wildlife biologist Fred Strand.
Another notable sign of summer's end is ferns now turning brown along the roadsides.
