ARES Fire Relief Effort Continues in Minnesota
NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 24, 2000--Amateur Radio efforts were expected to continue at least until tomorrow in Minnesota where wildfires broke out last week. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service has activated in Minnesota to assist the Red Cross in feeding the nearly 300 firefighters on the scene.
ARRL Minnesota Section Manager Randy Wendel, KM0D, reports the brush fires in the Carlo Avery Wildlife Management Area burned more than 8000 acres of rural Anoka County north of Minneapolis. Wendel reports most of the fires were contained over the weekend, and a welcome light rain fell Sunday on the tinder-dry region.
"Most of the fire-fighting efforts are now being directed at putting out hot spots--smoldering fires burning in the peat bogs of the wilderness area," Wendel said.
Minnesota Central District Emergency Coordinator Ed LaPlante, KC0ASX, reports hams have continued to assist the Red Cross in the field coordinating food requirements and delivery schedules between a staging point in Stacy, Minnesota, and two Red Cross emergency response vehicles in the fire zone.
Fred Christiansen, KC5OQQ, of the St Paul Radio Club says hams also were staffing the Red Cross office in St Paul assisting to coordinate efforts with other Red Cross volunteers from North Dakota and Iowa. The Salvation Army's Terry Thurn, KB0SVW, was reported to be heading up his organization's relief effort.
"The efforts of Amateur Radio here have been very well received in the fire zone by the various agencies directly involved with fire-fighting activities," Wendel said. "The radio operators who have helped in this event should be very proud of themselves."
The wildfires were believed to have started from legal residential leaf-burning. The flames destroyed several homes and outbuildings. Several hundred people had to be evacuated, but since have returned home.
Page last modified: 12:57 PM, 24 Oct 2000 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2000, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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