MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County has used up its 2026 fuel budget and now projects spending about $750,000 more than allocated by year’s end, the county’s fleet director told supervisors Thursday. Another 50-cent-per-gallon increase could raise the overrun beyond $1 million. The county consumes about 800,000 gallons of fuel annually for vehicles and equipment used by departments including the Sheriff’s Office, highway maintenance, parks and Mitchell International Airport. Fleet Director John Blonien told the County Board’s finance committee that higher fuel prices since the start of the Iran war are driving the projected gap. The approaching winter season adds pressure to the budget. County vehicles must clear local freeways and airport runways, and snow and ice operations rely on large diesel-powered trucks and equipment, Blonien said. Supervisor Justin Bielinski said county departments are trying to limit unnecessary trips, but core duties cannot be paused. Snowplows still need to clear roads, and sheriff’s deputies must respond to crashes, he said. Bielinski also said the budget process could not have anticipated the forces behind the price increases. Officials have not identified how the county will cover the additional costs. Bielinski said the shortfall would have been larger if the transit system had not prepaid for its annual fuel supply earlier in the year, before prices rose.