Firefighters, Sauk Prairie ambulance personnel and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources were dispatched at 6:47 p.m. Saturday to Lehman Road in the Town of Sumpter. The call reported that a man was allegedly starting a fire in the woods. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office located the man shortly after fire crews arrived and took him into custody. Authorities are investigating the motive.

Crews found a large area burning in a location fire trucks could not reach. Firefighters used water backpacks and hand tools to attack the fire from both sides, with additional personnel and equipment called in through a mutual aid response. The response included Sauk Fire’s utility vehicle, Plain Fire’s all-terrain vehicle and a DNR heavy unit.

The fire was brought under control at about 8:15 p.m. Crews continued checking for hot spots and making sure it was fully extinguished until 9:41 p.m.; the last units left shortly after 10 p.m.

Authorities have not released the man’s identity or announced charges. The fire department did not report how much land burned or whether anyone was injured.