Mercer, Conover areas hardest hit by Tuesday storms
Injuries to campers reported west of Mercer
Raymond T. Rivard
News Editor lakeland times
Strong thunderstorms that passed through the Northwoods of Wisconsin Tuesday night packed winds strong enough to cause damage throughout several areas in Vilas and Iron counties - most notably in the Mercer and Conover areas.
According to Mercer town chairman James Kichak, trees and power lines were down along Flambeau Dam Road about 12 miles west of Mercer.
In addition, as many as 10 campers who were in the area were injured, one of them considered serious (though no other specific information about injuries was available at this time), according to Kichak. In addition to members of the Mercer Fire Department, crews and ambulances from several surrounding towns were also dispatched to the area.
Kichak said the town received assistance from Winchester, Presque Isle, and Manitowish Waters.
"I will be meeting with the [Iron County] emergency government director this morning to further assess the situation," Kichak said.
The town chairman also said personnel from the Department of Natural Resources will be flying over of the area early Wednesday morning.
In a press release issued by Jim Bishop, a public affairs manager with the DNR out of the Spooner office, quoted DNR Lands Supervisor, Paul Bruggink, as saying "Public safety is the most important consideration right now. We are asking everyone to avoid the Turtle-Flambeau flowage area to allow emergency crews to work. They need to check all of the campsites and open the roads and public accesses into the waterway." Bruggink also said that those planning to use the area this weekend may want to make alternative plans.
According to Iron County officials, there was a confirmed tornado touchdown at Fisherman's Landing on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage and the DNR confirmed this morning that public boating accesses known as Springstead Landing, Fisherman's Landing, and Murray's Landing have been closed until further notice.
Working all night, the Mercer crews were able to get one lane of Flambeau Dam Road open and will be continuing work today to clear the area of downed trees and power lines.
To the east of Mercer, the Vilas County town of Conover was also hit hard, according to county emergency management director Jim Galloway.
"Damage was widespread throughout the county, but the heaviest concentration was in Conover," Galloway said.
The areas around The West to East Buckatabon Roads, West and North Hunter Lake Roads and the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Old 26 saw the most damage with downed trees and power lines.
Galloway said there was also structure damage near those locations and at least one vehicle that may have been damaged.
"But there have been no reported injuries in Vilas County," Galloway said.
"I will get to every part of the county today," Galloway said despite spending most of the night dealing with the aftermath of the storm.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, there were still several hundred affected by power outages. According to the Wisconsin Public Service website, there were a total of 1,100 customers affected in the Lakeland area, with the bulk of them being in Minocqua (949).
