Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 8, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Robert B. Harper, Washington Emergency Management, 253-512-7005

Locke activates National Guard for training due to wildfire emergency

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke today declared a state of emergency in Washington due to the high threat of wildfires in the state and a shortage of firefighters.

The proclamation activates up to 500 Washington National Guard members to begin three days of fire fighting training at the Yakima Firing Center. The training will prepare the Guard members to help as needed under the direction of Washington's coordinated interagency emergency response management system.

"The severe wildfire potential poses a threat to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure throughout our state," Locke said. "Our current resources would not be adequate to address the outbreak of several, simultaneous large fires in Washington. To prepare for that emergency, I have activated the Washington National Guard personnel so that up to 500 additional firefighters could be available to help jurisdictions and agencies in firefighting efforts."

Commissioner of Public Lands Jennifer Belcher, who administers the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), commended the governor for taking prudent, early preparatory action in case Washington's firefighting needs exceed existing resources. DNR has the state's largest on-call fire department, which includes more than 400 state correctional inmates specially trained in wildland firefighting.

"If we have a major lightning incident, as our weather experts are now anticipating for this week, Washington could face multiple fire starts. We would have no additional resources to assign within the first 24 hours. Planning ahead for a possible shortage is the right step. We owe it to our firefighters, Washington citizens, and our natural resources," Belcher said.

Washington's firefighting resources are being coordinated by a group of local, state and federal fire experts who are monitoring the threat of wildfires hourly throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Citizens are urged to observe DNR's statewide ban of all open burning, including recreational bonfires, on all state forest lands and other DNR-protected land in Washington.

Campfires also are banned, except in approved, metal- or concrete-lined fire pits in designated campgrounds. Campers are urged to use self-contained camp stoves.

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