A small shed and several cottonwood trees caught fire in the Town of Gardner on Sunday afternoon, serving as a reminder that a blaze can occur no matter the danger level. The Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department was paged to the home on County Highway C just before 2:30 p.m. What was first reported as a grassfire was upgraded when the first firefighter on the scene noted that the fire was creeping closer to the property’s buildings. According to BUG Assistant Fire Chief Jim Wautier, the homeowner put out his cigarette and took his dog for a walk when he came across flames in his yard. Despite the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reporting a low fire danger level across the state, Wautier says that does not mean it is impossible for a wildfire to take place if the conditions are just right.

The BUG Fire Department had five vehicles and several firefighters on the scene for about an hour as they put the fire out. While the small shed was lost to the fire, they were able to prevent the other buildings from succumbing to the flames.