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State officials: hundreds of firefighters, mutual aid and National Guard deployed to Spokane complex fires
Summary
Washington Department of Natural Resources and the National Guard reported hundreds of personnel and aircraft on the ground: DNR said more than 900 personnel were fighting the Spokane complex fires and the Guard has more than 100 members assisting in Spokane; mutual aid from more than a dozen states and Australia was reported.
Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, who leads the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said incident-management teams and a mix of rotor and fixed-wing aircraft, engines, dozers and hand crews are engaged and that the combined effort includes "more than 900 individuals among the different agencies battling the Spokane complex fires." He emphasized prevention and that communities should heed evacuation orders.
Major General Ghent Welsh, the state's adjutant general, said the National Guard has mobilized across the state and has Guard members assisting in Spokane: "we have over 100 National Guard members serving on Spokane streets right now." Officials said the state has mutual-aid arrangements and more than a dozen states (and a small Australian team) have provided personnel or equipment, but also cautioned assets are stretched this season across the West.
Officials urged patience as the incident command compiles structure-threat assessments and advised residents to respect traffic control points and the directions of first responders.
