Fire destroys Town of Merrill lake house

A house on Ackerman Road in the Town of Merrill was destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon, according to a press release from the Merrill Fire Department (MFD).
At approximately 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, 2026, the MFD was dispatched to a structure fire at W4185 Ackerman Rd. Bystanders reported the fire was spreading into nearby woods, and before crews arrived, MFD requested mutual aid through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.
When Merrill’s Engine-61, Tender-65, and Med-61 reached the scene, firefighters found heavy fire and smoke coming from the home along with a brush fire burning along the road. Crews deployed hoselines to knock down the brush fire and keep the flames contained to the main building.
Hot, humid weather and challenges posed by the building’s construction stretched firefighters thin, according to the release. Mutual aid was provided by the Pine River, Corning, Russell, Tomahawk, Riverside, and Little Rice fire departments, along with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. For firefighter safety, crews shifted to defensive operations and brought in an excavator to complete extinguishment, the release said.
Tomahawk EMS, Russell EMS, and Pine River and Corning emergency medical responders also assisted, as did Wisconsin Public Service, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Lincoln County Highway Department, and Schmidt Excavating.
No one was home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. Based on a preliminary investigation, the fire is believed to be unintentional. The house is a total loss.