Flooded area by WIR in Kaukauna area reopened

TOWN OF BUCHANAN - The area around the Wisconsin International Raceway has been reopened after flooding shut down roads.

Highway KK was closed at Highway 55 up to Loderbauer Rd, and was closed to Highway CE. A bridge partially collapsed in the area.

The Kickapoo Creek is still rising and the Outagamie County Regional Hazmat team was called to the area because the dragstrip at WIR is flooded and that's a problem because of all the fireworks on that strip. The team is still monitoring the area.

All week long, there is a Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) fireworks show and officials are worried because of all the wet and unstable fireworks. PGI member Bill Turner says some chemicals can have exothermic reactions, meaning they can react with water. He says some damp fireworks can be usable.

"When it gets really wet, it goes into solution instead of being a dry mixture," said Turner. "The chemistry of that is really quite different, so that's why it's dangerous."

Show organizers say the fireworks show scheduled for Wednesday evening has been rescheduled for Thursday, August 12.

According to PGI’s Mike Kapocious, “Conditions at WIR have caused us to reschedule. All tickets for the Wednesday show will be honored on Thursday.”

Vendors estimate they lost thousands of dollars in product.

"It's our livelihood to have the product, sell it, get money out of it and we understand things can happen," said Gary Lillich.

"Once they get wet, they're kind of wasted after that," said J.T. Lawson.