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Two Rivers and mutual‑aid crews contain weekend brush fire near West Wind River
Summary
Two Rivers Fire Department, with mutual‑aid partners, contained a brush and swamp‑grass fire Saturday that burned marshland from about 30 Seventh Street to 30 First Street; the city said the cause remains under investigation.
Chief Morak, Two Rivers fire chief, told the City Council on May 19 that firefighters and mutual‑aid partners contained a brush and swamp‑grass fire Saturday afternoon along the West Wind River that burned marshland and nearby forested areas.
The blaze was reported in the midafternoon and was first dispatched around 3:10–3:15 p.m., Chief Morak said. Fire crews initially saw light smoke and ash; when they gained access via a private driveway near 30 Seventh Street they found a burning area roughly the size of two football fields and, by the end of operations, fire had burned into areas near 30 First Street, Chief Morak said.
The fire burned marsh or swamp grass growing over saturated ground and spread quickly in places, Morak said, requiring specialized equipment and crews trained in wetland or wildland firefighting. Two Rivers lacked the off‑road vehicles and equipment needed for marsh work, so the department tapped a mutual‑aid pact with neighboring jurisdictions. Agencies that responded included the Manitowoc Fire Department, which staffed Two Rivers’ station while local crews responded, and multiple volunteer departments that brought UTVs and tracked vehicles to reach hotspots, the chief said. Two Rivers Police Department evacuated nearby residents and Manitowoc Police Department provided drone support to give an overhead view to incident command.
Chief Morak asked residents not to drive to the scene during active operations because a large number of private vehicles clogged access roads and hampered emergency response. He said the origin of the fire is under investigation and that it is “undetermined” at this time; the press release language describing a suspicious origin was corrected in the meeting because the cause had not been established.
Councilmembers asked procedural and coverage questions; Morak confirmed that mutual‑aid agreements and the assistance of multiple agencies were essential to stopping the fire, and that Two Rivers’ crews received help from departments across the region. He also thanked the volunteer incident support and outside agencies for their assistance.
The city did not report any confirmed injuries or structural losses during the council discussion. The investigation into the cause is ongoing, and the chief said officials will provide updates if the probe uncovers new information.
