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Volunteers needed to help fight wildfires

The Columbian
Published: August 26, 2015, 5:00pm

MOSES LAKE — For the first time in Washington state history officials are requesting assistance from volunteers with specific experience and qualifications to help battle fires that are currently ravaging areas in central and eastern Washington.

The Department of Natural Resources announced they were seeking volunteers to help fight the blazes last week.

The Okanogan Complex fire has already scorched about 256,500 acres, about 400 square miles, and has now grown to be the largest in state history, surpassing last year’s Carlton Complex fire, according to the Associated Press.

There are about 16 large wildfires currently burning in eastern and central Washington, covering about 920 square miles.

About 200 homes have been destroyed and more than 12,000 homes and other structures are still at risk.

The DNR is still searching for volunteers to help fight the fires despite President Barack Obama granting Gov. Jay Inslee’s request for a federal Emergency Declaration.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency declaration means additional resources will be provided from the federal government to aid state and local response efforts in areas that wildfires are currently ablaze.

The declaration provides:

Assistance and resources to ensure transmitters and other equipment remain operational.

Emergency power generation resources for “critical low government facilities” that are currently engaged in responding to fires.

Crisis counseling for impacted communities.

An Erosion Threat Assessment Reduction Team to provided scientific assessment of scorched lands to take into account immediate threats to public health and safety. The team also proves information to prevent further damage in burned areas.

Currently about 4,000 people have answered the DNR’s call to help in the effort, but a DNR spokesman said that number exceeds the amount of people that will be accepted as volunteers, according to the AP.

Around 200 people have been cleared to fight the fires and officials are currently working to place them.

The state is searching for people who have previously been employed as a firefighter, or who know how to properly operate equipment, such as bulldozers that are used to build fire lines.

The DNR has set up temporary community resource centers in Omak, Colville and Castle Rock for people who want to commit their time to volunteering or equipment to help fight wildfires.

The DNR is only seeking and currently able to enlist volunteer services from people with wildland firefighting qualifications, including an Incident Qualification Card (commonly called a Red Card), a “Blue Card,” or a letter of certification from local/rural fire department stating that you have met appropriate physical fitness, experience and training standards for fighting wildfires.

If you are interested in volunteering visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/GZJWJNQ, or visit www.dnr.wa.gov/WildfireVolunteer for more information.

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