Northern WI Wildfire Mostly Contained; Several Dozen Evacuated

UPDATE AT 9:45am: The Department of Natural Resources says the fire has been largely surrounded and was “90 percent contained” this morning.It has burned about 8,700 acres and is considered the largest forest fire in northern Wisconsin in 33 years.

Residents were evacuated overnight from Loon Lake, Sand Lake, Murray Lake, Potowatomi Estates, Rock Lake, Beauregard Lake, Catherine Lake, Ellison Lake and the Village of Barnes.Fifty-nine people had registered at the Drummond High School evacuation site as of 7 this morning.

A wildfire that began at around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon had burned more than 6,700 acres in Douglas and Bayfield Counties as of early this morning, and destroyed at least 50 structures.

The Wisconsin DNR is calling this the largest wildfire in the state since 2005.

Mike Simonson reports that at least 18 fire departments were trying to control the flames as of early this morning.Multiple power lines were down.Multiple aircraft are also being used to fight the fire.By 2:30 this morning, the DNR estimated it was about 80-to-85-percent contained.

About three dozen people were at an evacuation center at Drummond High School late last night.Areas that had ben evacuated included German Lake and Potawotomi Estates near Barnes.A public meeting of evacuees is planned for 8 this morning at Drummond High.