WAUSHARA COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A small village of just over 400 people has been impacted in a big way; residents of Coloma are rallying around each other after a devastating wildfire.
“We have wild land fires, thousands of them, every year in Wisconsin — but to have a wildland fire in an area like this where there are many people impacted and structures lost, that’s just such an emotional life changing event,” said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fire Information Officer Amy Penn.
Over 100 residents were displaced from their homes Monday night, though everyone in the fire zone has since been able to return home. Still, the total damage is extensive.
“For secondary structures like sheds and outbuildings, 16 were lost and two were damaged,” said Penn. “In addition to that, there were many multiples of equipment, vehicles and things in yards that were destroyed. We don’t have a count on that one.”
Penn says it’s also been an emotional time for the local firefighters who were on scene for hours extinguishing the fire. Eight of them received some form of medical attention, including one who was sent to the hospital for medical treatment.
“I was in the fire service for just over 33 years,” said Dan Miller, owner of Miller’s Hillside Pub. “So, served with most of them — most of the people that were out fighting. Good friends and family that were out there.”
Which is why several of Coloma’s business owners and residents wasted no time finding a way to help.
“Small towns seem to come together when stuff like this happens, which is really cool,” said Miller. “Glad we could be a part of it.”
On the night of the fire, Miller made and brought pizzas to the fire station. As he would learn shortly after, many others had the same idea.
“We’re kind of the new kids on the block here in Coloma — just opened last year, and it was awesome seeing the Cabin, Jena’s, A&W pitching in making what they could make. We had a customer come in, brought in a whole box of donuts they went and purchased. Cases of soda we took down to the command center. So, people are coming in. One guy said, ‘This is the Coloma I used to know.’”
The village also opened their community center Monday night for anyone who was evacuated. And they held a meeting with the DNR the following night to answer any questions on the process of moving forward.
“The amount of people collecting donations, offering to help — I can’t tell you how much food we had at the incident command post — more than we can eat,” said Penn. “Just seems like a very close-knit community, very willing to step up and help, so it’s been very inspiring that way.”
Fire conditions are still present, though the DNR says the Pallet Fire is out.
