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The Morse-Fall Lake fire department has played a key role in several area wildfires and will be reaping some financial rewards.
Chief Ted Krueger told the Morse-Fall Lake joint powers board Wednesday that the number of hours worked should bring in around $40,000 to the department.
“From the Brimson, Blueberry Lake and Cloquet Line fires, we should be receiving $40,000 from the DNR,” said Krueger. He said the DNR then bills other agencies.
At the Brimson fire Krueger said the Morse-Fall Lake pumper tanker was there for water filling and for foaming several buildings including the Bassett Town Hall and a historical barn building.
He said the first two days of the Brimson fires, which now total nearly 29,000 acres, Jeb Bakke from the U.S Forest Service in Ely was in charge and now the same team that worked on the Greenwood Fire took over. Krueger was in charge of division Alpha.
The Morse-Fall Lake water tender helped fill fire trucks with water. He said there was 80 different departments involved, including Ely.
Krueger said 60 gallons of foam used was resupplied as well as any hose used. He said the rain that came calmed the fire down considerably.
Krueger explained for a wildfire to be considered contained there has to be a line built around it and 100 feet of black ground. There were 16 dozers assigned along with excavators and feller bunchers. Several loggers from Isabella were contracted as well.
Krueger said the terrain is rocky and swampy including the Seven Beavers Swamp. Jenkins Creek is a federal fire and Camphouse was a DNR fire but have all the same management for both.
Krueger said there will likely be a $20,000 benefit to the department once the payroll and expenses are paid. He said Morse-Fall Lake was one of the last departments to leave the fire.
Krueger told the board the Brimson fire was stopped at houses by Firewise programs that had cleared brush around buildings. While some garages were lost homes were saved due to Firewise.
Morse-Fall Lake Chairma n Ter r y Soderberg thanked the firefighters from Morse-Fall Lake who went down and spent time helping to put the wildfire out.
The Cloquet Line fire started on May 20 and now has a hose line all the way around the 2.8 acres.
Morse-Fall Lake hauled water and the Forest Service brought 30 firefighters to battle the lightning caused blaze near the north end of Cedar Lake.
A small fire on the Blueberry Road was kept away from structures and the cause of the fire was unknown.
Kreuger said in mid-January there was a structure fire at 37 below and the oil cooler froze on one of the fire trucks. The part was $5,200 and there will be a $1,000 labor charge to put it in and then $2,000 for pump testing. The board approved submitting the cost to insurance.
