• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Postcards from the Field

  Conservancy staff and volunteers were among several groups of firefighters at Sleeper Lake  

Nature Conservancy staff & volunteers have a range of fire training and experience before they assist with fire management. © TNC/Jack McGowan-Stinski

A Blackhawk helicopter from the National Guard scoops up water to be dumped on the fire.

© Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A sign created by Newberry residents to show their appreciation.

Firefighters were overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown by the local community. © TNC/Rebecca Hagerman. View the Invasive Species VideoView the video.

Next Postcard:
Science of the Sleeper Lake Fire

By Jack McGowan-Stinski
Michigan Fire Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Week 2: The Kindness of Strangers

Thursday, August 16-Wednesday, August 22, 2007: Newberry, Michigan

The Sleeper Lake fire has reached 18,680 acres, but 50% is contained. Four structures, all at one location, were lost this week. Fortunately, no one was near the area at the time. People have been evacuated in several areas, including the Chesbrough Lake, Pine Stump Junction and Widgeon Road areas. The Red Cross established a shelter for evacuees at the Tahquamenon Area Schools, but it was not needed. Every evacuated resident found a temporary home with friends and family in the area.
Current resources on the fire include numerous dozers, water units, five hand crews, black hawk helicopters from the National Guard, marsh masters, and approximately 250 fire personnel. The cooperating agencies include the Michigan DNR, Michigan Department of Transportation, Wisconsin DNR, Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, State of Connecticut Environmental Protection, Michigan National Guard, Air Guard, Michigan State Police, Luce County Sheriff's Department, National Weather Service, The Nature Conservancy in Michigan and Wisconsin, numerous Volunteer Fire Departments, Salvation Army, and American Red Cross.

Firefighters have sustained only minor injuries while battling the blaze. One firefighter twisted his knee when a hose nozzle hit him. Everyone returned to the line the next day. There has been no loss of life or major injuries due to this fire.

The amount of support I’ve seen from local residents is wonderful. Volunteers from the Red Cross, Newberry prison and local residents have made breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every firefighter, every day; that can be as many as 750 meals a day. Local residents leave their homes in the evening to line the streets of Newberry as the firefighters return from 11+ hour shifts battling the fire. People cheer, wave and clap their hands in support. Signs are posted everywhere saying “Thank you.”

Seasoned firefighters have commented they’ve seldom seen this kind of welcome from local residents. In most places, people will say thanks or you may get a glass of orange juice on the house at local restaurants, but the residents of Newberry overwhelmed all the firefighters with their kindness and generosity. Most of the firefighters arrived with only the clothes on their backs or a change of clothing. When the wife of one of the members of the Incident Command team heard this, she organized church and community members to start a laundry service. They quietly passed the word around; they would wash laundry for free. Many of them ended up doing 8-10 loads a day. The firefighters would drop their items off in the morning and receive them that evening, sometimes as late as 10pm. The clean laundry often included personal touches such as thank you notes, toothbrushes, candy and other small items.