Warmer and wetter conditions may eventually lead to more wildfires in eastern South Dakota. State Fire Meteorologist, Dr. Darren Clabo says more rain means more fuel for fires.
Clabo says fires burning on what appears to be green grass are actually using dry thatch hidden beneath as fuel. Eastern South Dakota sees most of its fires in spring, with April as peak month, but milder winters mean a longer fire season in the region.
Clabo doesn’t expect fires to heavily impact most of the state this year though.
Fires in the west tend to happen naturally, Clabo says. Those in central and eastern South Dakota are usually human-caused. According to the National Park Service, people cause 90 percent of wildfires.
