EVERETT — A team of Snohomish County firefighters was redeployed from Chelan to Twisp on Wednesday afternoon.
They arrived, got their assignments and, again, headed toward flames. Hours later, three federal firefighters working alongside them were dead. More than 60 local firefighters continue to work at the now-fatal fires blazing across Eastern Washington.
“It impacts them heavily,” said Gold Bar Fire Chief Eric Andrews, who coordinates wildfire response from this part of the state. “They all know that those guys started the same day as they did. … This is something that can happen to anyone.”
With fires and power outages throughout Okanogan and surrounding counties, cellphone coverage has been limited for the crews, he said. Many of their families and fire departments at home found out before they did about the fatalities, starting a flurry of anxious phone calls. Firefighters near Twisp are climbing ridges, trying to get cellphone service so they can communicate, Andrews said.
At the same time, Snohomish County’s fire danger is almost as bad as conditions east of the Cascade Mountains. Only six brush trucks — skeleton crews — remain here in case of a wildfire. Some but not all of those folks have advanced wildfire training, Andrews said.
“The only ingredient we’re missing here is wind,” he said. “If we have the wind over here they have over there, we’re just a tinderbox waiting.”
Local crews sent to the various fires come from Arlington, Arlington Rural, Bothell, Clearview, Everett, Getchell, Gold Bar, Lake Roesiger, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood and Monroe. Their deployments range from three days to two weeks. Their assignments can shift daily.
“Everything that can be coordinated to go over has gone over,” Andrews said. “We have nothing left to send. … We’ve got to keep skeleton crews here.”
The fire danger remains high on this side of the mountains, despite the recent rain and more predicted early Friday. Fires have been sparked here in recent weeks by lawn mowers, car exhaust systems and oily rags. Highway 20 was closed because of fires on both sides of the Cascade range, including flames near Newhalem.
If a wind-driven wildfire strikes in Snohomish County, there will be little firefighters can do to protect homes. About half of homes destroyed in wildfires start ablaze due to embers dropping on roofs. At least three houses have burned in Snohomish County earlier this month, including one fire that jumped roofs.
Burn bans remain in place for the foreseeable future. Wednesday’s deaths are a stark reminder of the dangers this season. Local crews have their guards up about safety while they’re out working, Andrews said. Wednesday’s deaths reinforce the importance of vigilance around wildfires.
“Those guys started the day just like they did and they didn’t come home,” he said.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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