Douglas Co. fire contained, 8,131 acres; Cause linked to logging equipment

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Evacuation order lifted; No negligence found in cause, DNR urges no criminal charges
 
The Department of Natural Resources has declared the Douglas County wildfire 100 percent contained with burned acreage adjusted to 8,131 acres, thanks to the increased access to the fire area and more detailed mapping. Work remains ongoing to control the hot spots burning inside the contained area.
 
DNR law enforcement, working with the Douglas County District Attorney?s Office, also today reported the wildfire (also called the Germann Road fire) was caused by equipment associated with logging operations. Officials say a thorough investigation has demonstrated that no negligence was involved and there was no intentional setting of the fire to the land. The DNR, after consultation with the Douglas County District Attorney, is recommending no criminal charges be filed.
 
And fire officials today lifted the evacuation order for the residents, allowing the public to return to their residences. The DNR Hotline, created to assist the area citizens, was slated to end at 10:30 p.m. tonight. Starting Friday, citizens may get wildfire information from the Brule Ranger Station. The number is 715-372-4866, and is staffed from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
 
Trent Marty, the director of the DNR Bureau of Forest Protection, said the work continues to control the fire.
 
?While we do have the fire completely contained, we still have a lot of work ahead of us,? Marty says. ?To be clear, the fire is not 100 percent under control. We do have a line around the fire and we?ve been successful in being able to keep it within the perimeter containment lines. There are still a number of hot spots within the fire perimeter that we are concerned with and are continuing to suppress.?
 
Law enforcement officials confirmed today the cause of the fire started from a logging crew harvesting timber on industrial timber lands. The operator of the logging equipment noticed smoke coming from below the cutting head of the machine while harvesting timber.

?The operator got out of the machine and made a concerted effort to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher located in the cab of the harvester,? Gary Bibow, Fire Law Enforcement Specialist, says. ?Another operator on the crew immediately called 911 and DNR resources were on scene in less than 10 minutes.?
 
The number of damaged or destroyed structures has not changed with 77 structures saved and 47 lost including 17 residences. There are no reported injuries.
 
Looking ahead to the weekend, DNR fire control officials say the predicted the cooler temperatures, lighter winds and precipitation expected will greatly assist in the mop-up operations and keep the hot spots under control in the coming days.

Also today, Gov. Scott Walker and DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp toured the fire area and visit with locals devastated by the incident. The governor last night issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in response to the forest fire.

All DNR burning permits were suspended again today and the public was encouraged to check with local fire officials for any additional restrictions.

For continued updates related to the Douglas County Wildfire, also called the Germann Road Fire, visit the DNR website dnr.wi.gov, enter keyword ?Germann Road Fire.? For the most current fire danger and any burning permit restrictions, enter keyword, ?fire.?
 
Stay safe.

[mudbrook]

Warden Wire: Law enforcement names landowner, logging company, more on cause of Douglas Co. fire
 
Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officials today identified the owner of the land where the Douglas County wildfire, also known as the Germann Road Fire, originated as well as the logging operation responsible for unintentionally igniting the fire.

The massive wildfire, that burned about 8,000 acres, started Tuesday around 2:30 p.m. It burned a swath more than 9 miles long and 1.5-miles wide in the townships of Gordon and Highway before being 100 percent contained as of 9 p.m. Wednesday. Forty-seven structures were lost, including 17 homes.

DNR law enforcement officials have confirmed that the fire was caused by equipment associated with logging operations. A logging crew, running a Timberjack 840 feller/buncher, was harvesting timber on industrial timber lands owned by Lyme St. Croix Forest Company LLC. These lands are managed by Steigerwaldt Land Services, Inc.

An operator from Ray Duerr Logging, LLC was conducting routine timber harvesting operations and noticed smoke coming from below the cutting head of the machine. According to the fire investigation, ?the fire started underneath the head of the cutting device.? Gary Bibow, DNR Fire Law Enforcement Specialist, said investigators ?were able to rule out all the other possible fire causes based on the evidence we found. And, there was no indication of the saw coming in contact with a rock or that the equipment appeared to be faulty.?

The area surrounding the source of ignition indicates the fire progressed quickly after the fire started. ?Fine grasses, abundant woody debris coupled with dense jack pine with low hanging branches caused the fire to start out as a surface fire and quickly move to the tree tops. It was only a matter of minutes before it hit the crowns, and it was off and running,? Bibow said.

The responsible party made a concerted effort to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher located in the cab of the harvester and immediately called 911. Bibow said: ?The entire logging crew stayed on scene. They have been extremely cooperative throughout this entire process.?

A thorough investigation has demonstrated that no negligence was involved and there was no intentional setting of fire to the land. The department recommends not pursuing criminal charges based on the investigation.

The origin of the fire is just southwest of the intersection of Germann Road and Doetsch Lane in the Township of Gordon. Due to southwest winds, the fire progressed in a northeasterly direction. At around 8 p.m. the night of the fire, the winds shifted from the north, pushing the fire towards several lakes where several evacuations took place and the majority of the structures were lost.

DNR fire control officials flew over the fire yesterday with infrared photographic technology to determine where any remaining hot spots are located. Fire crews will continue to suppress the hot spots and monitor the fire perimeter over the coming days. Scattered rainfall expected over the weekend will greatly assist in the mop-op operations.