OCONTO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It was just about a year ago, when high winds toppled trees across the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
The July 19th, 2019 storm damaged about 286,000 acres.
That’s nearly 450 square miles or a little less than half the entire size of Oconto County.
The clean-up effort has been ongoing, and many recreational areas are finally opening back up, but there are some challenges as well.
At Boot Lake National Forest Campground, Mike Andersen and his wife Wilhelmina Andersen say they may have found the perfect site.
“We were excited to hear that it was reopened. We were devastated when we knew of all the damage, because this is our favorite spot. And we just think the trees are so beautiful. To realize that some of this, they said it could change it for years to come,” said Wilhelmina Andersen.
“We didn’t know what we were going to be in for, what to expect. And actually thought it was going to be worse than it is. But you can still see some of the scars,” said Mike Andersen.
The 34-site campground opened earlier this month. U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Hilary Markin tells FOX 11 crews worked since last summer to reshape the Boot Lake area.
“That was the hardest hit developed campground on the Forest, with many, many trees that were down. Trees that were kind of snarled up in the canopy. So we had to go in there and work with the contractors, and take all those trees down.”
Trees are toppled across the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Markin says that creates a fire danger.
“It’s kind of pushing us to get those salvage operations. We’ve even created some buffers among areas to protect lands that have a place to get in, and if there is a fire, to address it.”
Loggers are busy too, as crews continue to clear the woods.
“Pay attention to traffic. Lot of logging trucks. Lots of heavy equipment, that’s moving to get from site to site. So just be very mindful of that. Slow down,” said Markin.
Officials stress the clean up from the 2019 storm is a long-term effort, and some recreation areas aren’t expected to reopen until 2021, at the earliest.
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