Firefighters face challenge of accessing island
By Robert Cloud
Firefighters were called out to a blaze that burned 5 acres of woods on the Lake Iola island.
The fire was reported at 3:50 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, according to Iola Fire Chief Jim Aanstad.
“We had one heck of a time extinguishing everything,” Aanstad said, describing efforts to control the fire as “challenging.”
Firefighters had issues controlling the fire because of the location.
“We had to call in rescue boats,” Aanstad said.
Crews from Manawa, Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence, Clintonville, Scandinavia, Amherst and Rosholt assisted Iola in controlling the fire.
The state Department of Natural Resources in Waupaca County also responded.
Firefighters remained at the scene until 5 p.m. Sunday.
“The rangers are out there right now,” Aanstad told the Waupaca County Post Monday morning.
He said the DNR was checking for hot spots on the island.
“Our concern was that if we didn’t get everything out, the wind could carry sparks into the marsh on the north side of the lake,” Aanstad said, noting that “basically the whole island was burned.”