TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
On Thursday evening, Mar. 18, firefighters from the Pine River Fire Department responded to a grass fire on State Hwy. 64 near Hwy. X.
Firefighters were initially told structures were threatened by the fire, which was spreading quickly. On scene, Pine River had their engine and tender, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had a brush truck and a fire investigator in a separate vehicle. The Merrill Fire Department responded with an ambulance to the scene, and “two Lincoln County Sheriff units controlled traffic on Highway 64 due to heavy smoke across the highway,” according to Rich LaValley of the DNR.
“The fire threatened a house and four outbuildings. Three of the buildings had direct flame impingement, but all were saved,” said LaValley.
“The incident commander was Brad Hartwig from the Pine River Fire Department,” LaValley said. “I did not take command, as the fire was well managed as I arrived on scene.”
Due to fast action on the part of firefighters, the fire was limited to burning two acres of vegetation.
Pine River Fire Department turned the investigation over to the DNR, who later reported the fire was caused by illegal burning.
