[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN CONTAINING THE RANGE 9 AND MERIDIAN 
               BOUNDARY FOREST FIRES IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

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                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 28, 2010

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the men and women who 
showed bravery and perseverance in fighting the Meridian Boundary and 
Range 9 Fires in northern Michigan's Crawford County and surrounding 
areas in May of this year. Through their impressive efforts the fire's 
damage was contained with minimal loss of structures and no loss of 
life.
  On May 18, two separate forest fires broke out only two counties 
apart--one in Crawford County and the other on land within Camp 
Grayling's Range No. 9 near the border of Crawford and Kalkaska 
Counties. Federal, State and local agencies worked together, managing 
the two fires as one single complex. In total, 16 local fire 
departments worked alongside members of the Michigan Army Reserve 
National Guard and State and federal forest management officials, to 
have the fire 95 percent contained within 8 days.
  In all, nearly ten thousand acres were impacted by the fires, with 12 
residences destroyed and 6 residences damaged. These firefighters and 
responders acted with expertise in the field and crews worked around 
the clock to fight and contain the blaze. Without their determined 
efforts and quick response the situation on the ground likely would 
have been far worse.
  Agencies involved in containing the Meridian Boundary and Range 9 
Fires were: South Branch Township Fire Department, Higgins Township 
Fire Department, Frederic Township Fire Department, Beaver Creek 
Township Fire Department, Grayling Fire Department, Lovells Township 
Fire Department, Luzerne-Big Creek Township Fire Department, Tri-Town 
Fire Department, Merritt Fire Rescue Department, Clam Union Fire 
Department, Lake Missaukee Area Fire Department, McBain Fire 
Department, Lake City Fire Department, Otsego County Fire Department, 
Otsego Lake Township Fire Department, Vanderbilt Corwith Fire and 
Rescue, Michigan Army Reserve National Guard, Michigan Department of 
Natural Resources and Environment Forest Management Division and USDA 
Forest Service, Mio Ranger District.
  Madam Speaker, the men and women of these agencies did excellent work 
controlling and containing the Meridian Boundary and Range 9 forest 
fires and keeping people in the surrounding communities safe. 
Therefore, I ask that you, and all of my colleagues in the U.S. House 
of Representatives, join me in recognizing their service, honoring 
their bravery, and thanking them for the heroic job they did in 
fighting these fires.

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