Friends of Crex Meadows Wildlife Area

06/15/2026

ROAD CLOSURE ALERT: Grettum D**e Road (Fish Lake Wildlife Area) is currently closed between East River Road and Hickerson Road due to maintenance work.

06/03/2026

Migration season is coming to an end at Crex Meadows, and our summer residents are settling in for the warmer months. Species like this Bobolink will stick around until fall migration begins! 🐦
📸 Mark Evans

05/27/2026

Summertime is almost here, and that means that fun summer programs for families are starting at Crex Meadows NEXT WEEK!

Little Wildlifers is a program that teaches children ages 3-6 about nature through hands-on activities, stories, songs, and more!

05/14/2026

We're asking the public to avoid outdoor burning activities, as fire danger has reached Critical levels across Northern and Western Wisconsin Thursday, May 14 through the evening of Saturday, May 16.

In conjunction with the National Weather Service, a Red Flag Warning is forecast for Friday, May 15 from noon to 9 p.m. in the following counties: Douglas, Bayfield, Washburn, Burnett, Sawyer, Ashland, Iron, Rusk, Barron, Polk and Vilas.

As of Thursday, May 14, DNR burning permits are suspended in 31 counties. Additional suspensions are possible with worsening conditions forecast heading into the weekend. Find updated information on DNR burning permit suspensions on the DNR's WisBurn tool: https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn/ #/BurnRestrictions

Fire risk is increased by ongoing dry vegetation, low humidity, warming temperatures and gusty winds forecast heading into the weekend, with Very High fire danger anticipated in areas where vegetation has not fully greened up.

Wisconsin's fire season is currently at its annual peak, as pine trees in areas with sandy soils are extremely vulnerable to "crown fires," wherein flames move from the ground to the tree tops and spread with intensity. Recent rains have not minimized wildfire concerns, as grasses, pine needles and leaf litter can dry out in just a few days between precipitation events, creating hazardous conditions.

As elevated fire risks persist, the DNR will continue to suspend all DNR-issued burn permits for debris piles and broadcast burning until widespread rain occurs. The DNR has responded to nearly 500 wildfires thus far in 2026, with 45% of those caused by debris burning.

Embers from any recent fires, especially burn piles and campfires, can easily get out of control and cause a wildfire if not properly extinguished. Please avoid all burning in areas of concern, including warming or cooking fires, until conditions improve.

Outdoor enthusiasts should also be extra careful with off-road vehicles or equipment that can create a spark and start a fire. With dry weather conditions across much of the state, fires can spark at any time.
Follow these simple tips to prevent wildfires from getting out of control:

– Avoid outdoor burning, including campfires, until conditions improve.
– Operate equipment (chainsaws, off-road vehicles, lawnmowers, etc.) early in the morning or late in the day to avoid sparks at peak burn hours.
– Secure dragging trailer chains.
– Report fires early and call 911.

Check current fire danger, wildfire reports and burning restrictions on our website at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn/ #/

05/14/2026

It’s warbler time!

Each year, Crex Meadows is host to almost 30 different warbler species during their spring migration.

Species like this Golden-winged Warbler are often the highlight of a birder’s checklist! 📸 Jeremy Kuecker

04/30/2026

More birds are coming back to Crex Meadows each week! The first sightings of Yellow-headed Blackbirds were reported in the past few days, along with dozens of other species! 🐦‍⬛
📸 Gary Meyer

04/28/2026

Don’t forget to RSVP for a variety of field experiences at our Annual Spring Festival on May 9th! For more information or to RSVP, visit our website: www.crexmeadows.org/event/crex-meadows-spring-festival/

04/22/2026

Please avoid all burning today!

The Wisconsin DNR, in conjunction with the National Weather Service, has issued a Red Flag Warning for today, Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 2 to 8 p.m. for Burnett and Washburn counties in northwest Wisconsin.

A Red Flag Warning is issued when a variety of weather factors come together to create especially dangerous wildland fire conditions. Hot temperatures, very low humidity, gusty winds and exceptionally dry fuels from lack of precipitation in the region are anticipated and can result in catastrophic fires.

The counties surrounding Burnett and Washburn are still in near-critical fire danger, and the public should avoid all burning across the region until conditions improve.

The DNR will prohibit burning with all DNR-issued burn permits where the DNR has burn restriction authority in areas with elevated fire danger. The DNR is asking the public to be especially careful with any activities that could potentially lead to a wildland fire and check any fires from recent days to make sure they have been properly extinguished.

Severe conditions continue across much of the state, and the threat of a large wildfire remains extremely high in Wisconsin. Elevated fire conditions are expected to persist through tomorrow until rain falls. The DNR is at full staffing and preparedness across the state to respond to any incidents.

Check current fire danger, wildfire reports and burning restrictions at https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn/ #/

04/22/2026

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it” — Robert Swan. 🌎

Happy Earth Day! Do your part to keep our planet clean and healthy- not just today, but EVERY day!

📸 Jeremy Kuecker

04/20/2026

This is what the smoke plume looks like from a 1,500 acre prescribed burn. 🔥

The WI DNR burns thousands of acres at Crex Meadows each year to restore and maintain part of the globally rare Northwest Sands Ecological Landscape, which provides crucial habitat for hundreds of upland species.

Prescribed burning also helps to prevent catastrophic wildfires from occurring by reducing the amount of hazardous fuels (combustible material) in an area.