MENOMINEE — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Thursday for Menominee County in response to a large-scale fire that has been burning at a paper mill for over a week.
The fire first started around 11 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, in a warehouse for Resolute Forest Products in Menominee. The Canadian-based company operates around 40 facilities in the United States and Canada specializing in pulp, tissue and other wood and paper products.
On Oct. 7, Menominee County declared a local state of emergency to request assistance from nearby fire departments.
According to WLUC-TV, firefighters from different stations across the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin have traveled hours to relieve tired local firefighters battling the still ongoing blaze.
On Oct. 13, Whitmer, at the request of Menominee County, declared a state of emergency. The declaration makes all state resources available in cooperation with local response efforts. It also authorizes the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division to coordinate state efforts with local authorities.
“I want to thank the first responders from Michigan and Wisconsin who joined forces battling this fire day and night to prevent it from spreading further and causing more damage,” Whitmer said in a press release. “Through this emergency declaration, we are dedicating every available resource to fire suppression efforts, environmental protection and financial assistance for the local response. We will be there to assist until the emergency response is completed.”
According to David Marshall, director of sustainability and public affairs, no injuries were reported among the 98 people who work at the mill.
Volunteers have started an online sign-up sheet for people looking to donate meals to the firefighters who have been working for several days straight.
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Marinette County Highway Department Division of Emergency Management expects the fire to continue burning for several days. Residents might see changes in wind patterns, bringing soot and smoke to other parts of the region. The EPA is on-site testing air quality.
“Everyone is all right, and there were no injuries,” Marshall said in a statement to WLUC-TV. "We continue to work with emergency response to contain the fire, understand what happened and prevent it from happening again. We acted quickly and would like to reassure local stakeholders that the safety of the community and our employees is our top priority.”
— Contact Brendan Wiesner at bwiesner@sooeveningnews.com