Wildfire season begins: Here are the signs to look out for

Muskoka fire rating update As warm weather arrives, the Muskoka Fire Danger Rating system will be implemented to reduce the risk of potential forest fires.

As warm weather arrives, the Muskoka Fire Danger Rating system will be implemented to reduce the risk of potential forest fires in the community.

The Fire Danger Rating is a Muskoka-wide rating system that will be monitored from April 1 to October 31.

The system is determined using the Fire Weather Index. It uses several factors to assess the risk of certain fire types, such as relative humidity, temperature, previous 24-hour rain amount, wind direction, wind speed, and forest fuel type.

The ratings for fire danger may vary from low to extreme and sometimes even lead to a complete fire ban, depending on the weather and environmental conditions.

Here's what each warning rating signifies, according to the Town of Bracebridge:

Low

Moderate

High

Extreme

Fire Ban

The rating is verified daily and updated whenever the rating changes.

No daytime burning is allowed from April 1 to October 31, regardless of the rating.

For more information on slash piles or recreational fires in the Town of Bracebridge, see the Burning Control By-Law 2014-018.