There's a reward in store for Wisconsin National Guard soldiers finishing up a 30-day mission in the storm blow-down area of Northwestern Wisconsin.
Local governments and landowners faced a monumental task after a July 1 storm blew down 100,000 acres of trees, leaving roads, trails and rights of way blocked. Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency in Douglas, Washburn and Burnett counties and extended the Guard's mission 10 days.
Guard members cleared 160 miles of roads and rights of way, said Burnett County Emergency Management Director Bobbi Sichta.
"It's better than we hoped for, especially having this extension because they were able to complete the goals that they wanted to," Sichta said.
National Guard Lt. Col. Jackie Guthrie said "mission accomplished."
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"We always accomplish the mission," she said with a laugh. "Until it's done, it's not done, but the goal is to have it done this weekend, and our guys are going to keep working as hard as they need to to get that done."
Sichta says they still have much to clean up, but they're further along thanks to the Guard.
Guthrie said 50 to 60 soldiers worked since Labor Day. All of them volunteered for the mission.
And that reward? The local VFW is putting on a pig roast Saturday for the soldiers and emergency workers.
Wisconsin Public Radio is heard locally on 91.3 KUWS-FM and at wpr.org .
