Town of Pine River one of the hardest hit areas locally
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Storms on Monday, July 26, and Wednesday, July 28, left a path of destruction through Lincoln County and beyond, resulting in Gov. Evers signing an Executive Order on July 29 declaring a State of Emergency due to severe weather. A press release from the Governor’s office said the declaration was made “following widespread severe storms affecting several regions of the state overnight causing widespread damage …”
The storms affected communities from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, leaving many regions with widespread damage, the Gov. said. Declaring a State of Emergency will “ensure state resources are available as we work together to get communities the support and help they need,” he said.
Heavy damage in Town of Pine River
Locally, Monday evening’s storms brought down trees and power lines, closed roads, and caused power outages, and torrential rain caused some flooding with water across roadways, closed more roads, and left standing water in many areas.
Just when many Lincoln County residents were getting their power back on, though not all had yet been restored, another series of severe thunderstorms and one confirmed tornado, hit the area. The first storm came through with winds and heavy rain, but it was the second storm that evening that left the biggest path of destruction through the County.
After it had passed, thousands of trees had been snapped off from straight line winds moving through the area at speeds of 70 mph or more and a confirmed EF-1 tornado that touched down in the Town of Pine River with winds up to 90 mph. Hundreds more trees were completely uprooted and blown over due to the heavily saturated ground from all the recent rain, combined with the high winds.
In addition, about half a dozen barns were destroyed, in some cases requiring animals to be rescued and moved to other farms for milking. Luckily, damage to homes was minimal in our area, and no injuries or deaths have been reported, including animals.
Wisconsin Public Service and Lincoln County crews responded immediately to begin the process of removing trees from roadways and restoring power to thousands of residents who lost power during the storm. Emergency crews including the Sheriff’s Department and Fire Departments also responded to provide assistance.
The community comes together
The sound of chain saws and wood chippers was steady in many areas, as homeowners and neighbors and tree removal companies were overwhelmed by the extent of the clean-up work to be done. Some tree removal services called in “storm chaser” crews from other areas to assist. And in the Pine River area, one signed popped up on a corner on Shady Lane Road [also referred to as Shady Lane Avenue], offering free cleanup assistance through Christian Aid Services, “Your Mennonite & Amish friends,” the sign said. If you need help with cleanup in response to the storms, the phone number on the sign is 330.473.2411.
Family members and neighbors reached out to check on one another and pitched in to help across the community, helping to remove trees from roadways, driveways, and rooftops. Rural farms fired up their generators to provide the electricity needed to milk cows and keep bulk tanks of milk cold, and other residents with generators fired theirs up to keep food from spoiling in refrigerators and freezers.
The Pine River Volunteer Fire Department opened their doors to provide citizens with food, water, an air-conditioned place to cool off, and a place to gather. Then they took a fire truck out to help area farmers by providing water and filling troughs for the animals.
In the City of Merrill, storm damage was minimal, but a short drive to the east of Merrill, whether that was due east or to the northeast or southeast, showed a completely different picture. And pictures themselves can’t truly capture the depth of the damage.
Nonetheless, while damage and destruction definitely describe the scenes in those areas, area residents are grateful that devastation is not a word they need to use. With homes still intact and lives spared, the area will clean up and move forward.
As English philosopher Sir Bernard Williams once said, “Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.”
