A snapped tree in Door County following strong storms on August 9, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Portions of Door County are still recovering from an August storm that brought down trees, knocked out power, damaged homes and left dozens in need of rescuing.
Now, news federal aid won’t be coming to help pay for the recovery has county officials wondering, what’s next?
The impact is still being felt. Months after that powerful storm, including a tornado touching down in Peninsula State Park, caused more than $400,000 in public damage in Door County.
“So the northern section of the county received the most or the worst part of the damage. So we had 20 people trapped at the Cana Island Lighthouse. We had another 14 people trapped up in Newport State Park, which the eastern part of Newport State Park is almost unrecognizable,” said Door County Emergency Management Director Jeb Saelens.
Parts of Newport State Park remain closed.
“For sure there will be probably an elevated fire risk for Newport State Park just because of the massive amounts of trees that are down in there,” Saelens said.
And there’s no timetable for its reopening.
“Just to rescue those 10 people up there, took the local fire department about eight hours with heavy machinery and chainsaws. So they have their work cut out for them,” he added.
The price tag of the public recovery, according to county officials was nearly $413,000, well over its threshold of about $142,000.
“Of our six local municipalities, all of them are under 2,500 people. Door County is a rural area, so , you know, our budgets are tight just like everyone else’s,” said Saelens.
The county applying to FEMA for federal recovery dollars, specifically earmarked for debris removal. FEMA denying the claim saying the public assistance program was not warranted.
Gov. Tony Evers addressed the denial while in Green Bay on Monday.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t,” he said. “So, but I’m not to the point where I’m saying, well, it’s because we’re a Democratic governor state or something like that. I’m assuming that they just made a mistake.”
The county and governor’s office are appealing the decision, hoping to be able to recoup some of the rescue and recovery funds.
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