Okanogan County emergency management staff and local officials briefed the Board of Commissioners on recent wildfire response activities, including evacuations, animal sheltering logistics, and decisions about declaring emergencies.

Emergency manager Maurice (first name provided in the meeting) said the Green Acres fire moved rapidly with strong winds; county and state crews, including tankers and DNR resources, responded and “the response went well.” He reported that seven homes were destroyed and several outbuildings lost, but said there were no fatalities and only a few exhaustion-related medical incidents. “As bad as everything ended up, it could have been so much worse,” he said.

Commissioners and staff discussed whether the county should adopt a standing policy that allows the emergency manager and fire council to establish evacuation centers or shelters without first convening the commissioners. Maurice said he would like the authority to move animals to the fairgrounds or other sites immediately when emergency management determines it is necessary. Commissioners agreed that a short, formal resolution delegating limited emergency authority would help reduce delays in fast-moving incidents.

Staff emphasized the operational difference between evacuation centers — short-term locations where evacuees first go — and shelters, which provide longer-term accommodations, often coordinated with the Red Cross. Officials noted the need to arrange volunteers and onsite personnel to care for animals delivered to staging areas and highlighted the importance of notifying property owners and coordinating volunteer support during evacuations.

The emergency manager said the county was cataloging damage and coordinating with assessors and other agencies; he also said that volunteers and staff managed call centers and that county phone lines were staffed to assist residents. Maurice and others described continuing on-site hot spots (smoldering ground) even after the main flames were out and noted localized crop or orchard damage where heat “stroked” but did not fully consume fields.

Commissioners directed staff to prepare a short resolution authorizing the emergency manager, with incident-command input, to declare or request emergency support and to outline procedures for rapid animal sheltering and volunteer coordination. No formal emergency declaration was made during the meeting.