Muskego Now Under Severe Drought; Fire Chief Urges Caution

Southern Wisconsin, including Muskego, is now experiencing severe drought conditions as of Thursday morning, according to U.S. Drought Monitor. 

The hot temperatures along with the lack of rain has pushed the drought intensity measurement the monitoring agency uses from moderate to severe for Waukesha County and Muskego. 

This means that the citywide burn ban is still in effect for Muskego. While not spelled out, how you discard your cigarette matters in these tinder-dry conditions.

Fire Chief Carl 'Skip' Wojnowski relayed at the Public Safety Meeting Thursday night that while people have been careful, others need to take caution when smoking. A homeowner that couldn't find the source of a burning smell called the Tess Corners Fire Department this past week he said, only to realize a cigarette that rolled into a crack in the cement of his porch caused dried material to smolder.

If you are tired of your yard looking like a pile of dead straw, the University of Wisconsin-Extension has posted a great article about how to address the lawn care issues that come along with drought-like conditions. 

The extension also has set up a blog, where you can get up-to-date information on the drought. 

As for when it will rain, some relief may be on its way with storms in the forecast this weekend. However, officials have said that it will take sustained rainfall to make a dent in the drought, which has the area about four inches under the average.