For nearly two weeks, wildfires have been burning across areas of the Upper Peninsula.
On Friday a small group of volunteers from the Mid-Michigan chapter of the Red Cross packed up an emergency response vehicle and headed north.@
Joan Meinke, Red Cross Volunteer: "We're taking with us, water and disaster supplies as well as some recovery packets."
Supplies they'll need to help those who lost their homes in the 34 square mile fire.
Meinke: "It's very humbling to be able to be there on site and to be able to be face to face with victims of a disaster -- and sometimes they're living out their worst nightmare."
A nightmare that the Department of Natural Resources says is about 60 percent contained but more than 130 homes and businesses have already burned to the ground.@
Meinke: "People that are in need, have been displaced and when you're out of your home, not expecting to be there, there's a lot of grieving."
But the Red Cross say it will be there to help with that and volunteers say the work is even more satisfying knowing they're helping out right here at home.@
Paul Spata, Red Cross Volunteer: "It's nice to be able to do it here in Michigan and ya know, do it for our brothers."
Meinke: "When its in your own community and you're a Michigander and Michigan people are suffering, they're in need, there is a different feeling -- there's that hometown kinda feeling."
A feeling that will help put the pieces back together for those who've lost everything to this.@
A Red Cross shelter is already open for those displaced by the fire.
it's at the American Legion in Newberry and is open to the public.
