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Officials warn of arrests, urge respect for guardspeople at checkpoints
Summary
Spokane-area emergency official said people who cross evacuation lines could be arrested for obstructing law enforcement, urged the public to treat National Guard members respectfully at checkpoints, and said unauthorized presence obstructs firefighting and aerial surveillance.
The agency official warned that people crossing closed lines could face arrest for obstructing law enforcement, but that officials will exercise discretion in individual circumstances. "You could be arrested for obstructing a law enforcement officer," he said, while also acknowledging there are many situations where people were legitimately present and would not necessarily be charged.
The official appealed for public civility toward National Guard personnel and other responders, noting many guardspeople have also lost homes and are volunteering to keep the community safe. He said unauthorized human activity in closed zones prevented drone surveillance missions and hampered firefighters' ability to detect and extinguish hot spots.
