Area fire crews heading to California
Firefighters and volunteers from several Washington cities and fire districts are heading south to help California crews battle fires and assist those displaced by the disaster.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources sent an Eastern Washington safety officer to California on Tuesday, said DNR Fire Prevention Coordinator Steve Harris.
“Spokane County has answered the call. We have two strike teams of five engines each ready to go. We’re just waiting for the state,” said Deputy Fire Chief Jack Cates with Spokane County Fire District 9.
Those teams include 38 firefighters and equipment from various county fire districts and the city of Spokane.
Meanwhile the American Red Cross has been mobilizing volunteers to help those evacuated from threatened areas and those who have lost their homes.
A dozen Spokane area volunteers are already in Southern California, said Thomas Stredwick, public affairs coordinator for the American Red Cross’s Inland Northwest Chapter. Two more were set to leave Wednesday, and another six volunteers were preparing to head to California.
“They each have different areas of expertise. Some will be doing disaster mental health work. Some will be in the shelters,” Stredwick said.
In addition to people, the Inland Northwest Chapter also sent a feeding vehicle and a communications vehicle to the disaster area.
Statewide, the American Red Cross has dispatched 52 volunteers and five feeding vehicles, Stredwick said.
Teams of firefighters have been sent from Washington as part of the mutual aid Emergency Management Assistance Compact among all 50 states. California requested the help on Monday.
Two teams of personnel from King, Pierce, San Juan and Thurston counties left Tuesday night, according to Mark Clemens at the State Emergency Operations Center in Camp Murray, Wash.
Others from Benton, Clark, Cowlitz, Grant, Kittitas, Snohomish, Walla Walla and Whatcom counties will leave today.
Kootenai Fire and Rescue has no plans to send firefighters to California at this time.
Many of the fires will take days to fully extinguish, and California firefighters have been pushed to the limits fighting them.