When people think of large wildfires, Wisconsin isn?t the first state that comes to mind. In fact, unless you really think back, say to 1872 and the 3.7 million acre Peshtigo Fire which claimed over 1,200 lives, you might completely overlook the Dairy State. But make no mistake: Wisconsin has fuels, and they have wildfires. You needn?t search the annuals of history quite that far back to find other large fires. In 1980, two fires burned in northern Wisconsin at the same time, eventually consuming a total of 16,000 acres and 200 buildings. Approximately every 10 years, the state is host to a big wildfire which may consume over 500 acres. In any given year Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) suppression resources respond to an average of 1,600 wildland fires for around 3,400 acres (that means just over 2 acres per fire). Nearly all wildfires in Wisconsin are human caused - combine that with the growing number of people living and enjoying the woodlands of Wisconsin - and the stage is set for disaster.

Just after 1:30 pm on May 5, 2005, Adams County Sheriff's Department received a 911 call for a grass fire burning out of control. Within seconds, Wisconsin DNR fire tower staff spotted the smoke and called it in. Responding rangers arrived on scene in minutes to find a rapidly spreading brush fire. Upon sizing up the location of the fire, current weather and surrounding fuels, supervising Ranger John Swengel made the determination to activate the local Wisconsin Incident Management Team. Immediately local volunteer fire departments (VFDs) were paged out and began responding to initiate structure protection. Additional Wisconsin DNR resources were dispatched to tend to the spreading blaze. Law enforcement officials began the race against time to evacuate residents in the path of the fire.

Named the Cottonville Fire for a road near the origin, the fire was burning in the sand country of central Wisconsin. Typical fuels for the area include primarily pine species (jack, red and white pine), with some oak and a variety of brush species. The local economy is based largely on pulpwood production for paper companies. Many large land blocks are owned by paper companies and hold single age class pine. Other sections of land are privately held, often enrolled as Tree Farms, and also produce pine ?cornfields.? Immediately near the origin of the Cottonville Fire, the land had burned in 2001, and now held dog-hair jack pine standing about 5 to 10 feet tall. These pines allowed the fire to easily crawl upward into the nearby mature pine canopy. Pushed by a strong and gusty southwest winds, the fire easily outpaced suppression efforts.

The Interagency Incident Management Team, comprised of Wisconsin DNR and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service fire fighters, set up in the Big Flats VFD and Town Hall. The Operations Section was divided into a structure branch and a wildfire branch. Air resources included two SEATS on local contract with the Wisconsin DNR, and a CL-215 from the Minnesota DNR. In addition, two air attack planes flew overhead, directing drops and serving as spotters for ground crews. Law enforcement personnel worked with Incident Commander Steve Courtney to clear residents from the danger zone and to block traffic from entering the fire area. Pineland Elementary School was set up as an evacuation center for those displaced by the fire.

The strategy was simple: anchor the fire near the origin and flank the fire using tractor-plows. Air resources cooled the flanks for ground crews and tried to protect structures as time permitted. Roche-A-Cri Creek, a multiple channel river, ran in a shallow gorge just west of the fire. The goal was to keep the fire from jumping that natural barrier. Meanwhile, the structural branch had called into action a pre-existing plan that had divided the area into zones. They set to work triaging structures and dealing with propane tanks.

When battling a wind driven crown fire, all doesn?t always go according to plan. One pilot of an air attack plane estimated the flames to be shooting 300 feet above the mature pines. The fire easily crossed several township roads. As it drew closer to a county highway, firefighting crews watched to see if the road would be enough to take the wind out the fire's sails. Standing 1.5 miles away at the ICP, Team members watched the fire easily lean over the major road, curl back up and consume fuel it had appeared to skip. Structural losses were heavy along Highway C.

Eleven hours and 3,410 acres later, the fire was contained. In the blackened path lay the rubble of 13 primary homes, 17 secondary/seasonal homes, and 60 other outbuildings. Fire fighting resources were able to save over 300 structures. Law enforcement agencies from around the state worked to evacuate an expanding perimeter, eventually sealing off a 10 square mile area. The fire, which was over 1 1/2 miles wide and nearly 6 miles long, is estimated to have burned 25-30 miles of power line.

Once the fire was contained and residents could be allowed into their homes, the evacuation perimeter was lifted. Residents, assisted by the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Adams County Emergency Management, were counseled on what to expect. Many homeowners anticipated finding melted siding and charred sheds. Instead several returned to find twisted metal, blackened concrete, melted glass and little else. The fire had burned rubber tires from vehicles, liquefied aluminum rims. A common mantra was often overheard, ?I just don?t understand why that place burned and not this one.?

One resident thought he had the answer: When property tax bills had come out in 2004, the local DNR ranger had included a flier on FireWise tactics in each envelope. Eight simple items were listed to help homeowners prepare for a possible wildfire. One man approached the fire crews working near his house. He was one of the fortunate ones ? his structures were still standing. He said that he had gone down the list of tips and had made sure his property fit the model.

Other people were heard to say that they had been thinking of thinning their pine plantations, or removing some of the vegetation from around their buildings.

A human-caused fire, the Cottonville Fire started when a property owner was burning grass from around a fire pit. This activity occurred outside the parameters of a legal Wisconsin DNR burning permit. The case was turned over to the Adams County District Attorney where the determination was made to file charges against the 54 year?old responsible resident. The charge: lighting a fire and allowing it to escape; carries a maximum $1000 fine and 90-days confinement. The responsible party may also be liable for suppression costs and damages.

Wisconsin Governor James Doyle declared a State of Emergency and visited the fire site on May 6, to talk with impacted residents and to tour the potential disaster area. American Red Cross Disaster Assessment Teams evaluated the scorched landscape and determined that it is not eligible for federal disaster relief. Requirements state that at least 50 primary dwellings must be lost to elevate a disaster to that level. No guidelines are included for loss of property beyond residences ? no estimate was given for the lost forest resources.

Wisconsin's history is closely intertwined with fire. Pre-European settlement saw frequent prairie fires, the 1800's watched loggers burn slash as they cleared their way west, settlers used fire to clear land and establish home sites. Suppression has evolved throughout Wisconsin's history also. From the earliest days of bucket brigades in Peshtigo, to 1948 when conservationist Aldo Leopold died while fighting a grass fire near Baraboo, Wis., to present day equipment and training, the careful balance between people and fire will continue, changing as we learn more about our role in the Wildland Urban Interface.

By: Jennifer Rabuck