Hugh

Recognized Firewise Community/USA

The community of Hugh formed a Firewise board on March 16, 2006, and became a recognized Firewise Community/USA on July 19, 2006. The community was recognized for its achievement during a luncheon and recognition ceremony held Dec. 14, 2006, at the Clinton Presidential Library. Accepting the plaque and highway signs on behalf of the community was Beth Randleman, Alpena Fire Chief. Also pictured are John Shannon, State Forester; Tony Siciliano, Arkansas FireWise consultant; Patricia Siciliano, Arkansas FireWise consultant; Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Support Manager, and Don McBride, Assistant State Forester-Protection.

Firewise board members include Beth Randleman, president; Paul Morris, vice president; Angela Harris, Larry Harris, Bobbie Bailey, Mayor of Alpena; Pat Fields and Brent Wheatley.

Hugh was originally known as Cotton Top, but the name was changed in the mid-1900s. The community is located two miles west of Alpena on U.S. Highway 62, and consists largely of farmland and orchards. Hugh also encompasses the cutoff road to Highway 412 to Carrollton.

Currently, Hugh has two small convenience stores, a tire shop, general mechanic shop, a honey house, an Irish farm and a restaurant.

For their first Firewise mitigation project, the board cleaned up along County Road 809 from Highway 62 to County Road 815. The volunteers removed brush, trimmed ladder fuels and burned weeds along the road.