Governor Gregoire Proclaims Statewide Emergency Due to Wildfire Threat

For Immediate Release: August 23, 2006

OLYMPIA - Governor Chris Gregoire today proclaimed a state of emergency throughout Washington due to a severe wildfire threat.

�Numerous wildfires across Washington pose a serious threat to homes, infrastructure, businesses and natural resources across our state; and our firefighting resources have begun to grow scarce,� said Governor Gregoire. �This weekend is likely to bring scattered thunderstorms, high winds and low humidity, conditions which may significantly increase fire growth as well as the risk to firefighters and emergency personnel.�

Governor Gregoire today took an aerial tour of the Tripod Complex fire, met with firefighters in Conconully at the incident command center and received a briefing on the status of firefighting operations.

The proclamation directs state government to support emergency response activities across the state, allowing state agencies to make expenditures and utilize resources to assist local jurisdictions. It also authorizes the Washington National Guard to activate their resources and personnel to assist local jurisdictions with fire-fighting activities.

Governor Gregoire, with Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland and State Patrol Chief John Batiste, on July 28 toured the Flick Creek and Tripod fires and met with citizens of Stehekin. The Tripod and Spur Peak fires merged on August 19 to form the Tripod Complex fire. State actions are being coordinated through the State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray near Tacoma.

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