Snohomish County firefighters are helping battle wildfires burning in Eastern Washington.
The call came Thursday to summon firefighters with different skills and equipment to drop everything and head east. Crews from several county fire districts are assisting in the fight against fast-burning fires near Spokane and Wenatchee, Getchell Fire Chief Travis Hots said.
“They have some of the best people from Snohomish County making sure their homes, their properties and their people stay safe,” Hots said. “It’s absolutely wonderful that we can provide assistance and resources to another community clear across the state.”
On Friday, Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency to help free up additional resources for fires burning in Chelan, Douglas, Stevens, Adams, Ferry and Spokane counties.
“With hot and dry conditions continuing on both sides of the state, the proclamation ensures all Washington communities have sufficient firefighting resources during this vulnerable time,” the governor said in a statement.
Firefighters from Arlington Heights, Getchell, Gold Bar, Monroe and North County Fire and EMS are helping in the statewide effort, Hots said.
Brush fire crews were sent to the 1,000-acre Browns Canyon Fire near Orondo. They’ve been ordered to hold a fire line and try to protect homes along Highway 97.
Near Spokane, where 13 homes had been destroyed by the 1,200-acre Valley View Fire, water tenders and structure-fire teams were deployed. Specially trained firefighters were trimming back brush and trees around threatened homes, Hots said.
With so many teams mobilized, many county fire districts now are operating with skeleton staffing levels, he said. That means local fire districts are standing by to help each other handle fires and other local emergencies.
“We have to balance helping our neighbors to the east with taking care of our day-to-day responsibilities back home,” he said. “Nobody’s safety or service levels is compromised.”
Several times each year, firefighters from around the state are mobilized to help fight wildland fires.
This year, the call for help came early, Hots said. For the first time, firefighters from Snohomish County were called in June to help in the eastern part of the state.
Wildfire risks exist locally too, he said. While the threat of fire in Snohomish County is low, downed trees and timber are drying out.
People need to be extremely careful with camp fires and while burning yard waste, he said.
Until the weather changes, the risk of fires around the state remains high.
“It’s going to be a very long fire season,” Hots said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com
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