FD 13 crew fights Evans Canyon fire

FYI: Just returned from eastern Washington (Sept. 8). This was my first mobilization and it was an interesting experience bringing a 56,000 pound tender over Snoqualmie Pass. On Thursday night (Sept. 3) at 7:30 p.m. the call came out for the Evans Canyon fire in Naches, Washington. By 9:30 p.m., after dumping 12 tons of water (3,000 gallons) to reduce weight, fellow firefighter Bailey Hawkins and I were on our way with our wildland gear and enough clothing for 14 days, if needed. Our initial instructions were to drive through the night and report for duty at the Naches high school at 6 a.m.

The tender ran great and by 2 a.m. we were in Ellensburg. We were greeted by a whole hillside on fire. Any trepidation I had suddenly increased tenfold with the reality of what we were getting into. By 3 a.m. we arrived in Naches and threw our sleeping bags on a mat in a local park.

At 5:30 a.m. we awoke and filled our tender to capacity at a local hydrant and with 2.5 hours sleep we reported for duty. It was a confusing and hectic whirl of paperwork but by 7 a.m. we were part of an eight vehicle strike team. The strike team was made up of five brush trucks: two from Skagit county, one from Everett and two from Gold Bar; one tender; a strike team leader trainee from Walla Walla and our structure group supervisor from Richland. Our assignment was to head back to Ellensburg to protect houses that were being threatened by the fast advancing northern flank of this 60,000 acre fire.

With the extra water weight it was difficult to stay with the team as we wound through smoke filled canyon roads but by 9 a.m. we were face to face with the fire.

The supervisor explained the plan to all of us. The fire was advancing down the hill directly opposite us across the Yakima river. There was a high suspicion that the fire would plume and cast embers on our side, where we were standing, starting spot fires. The brush trucks were assigned to snuff out these fires before they threatened the houses; if they were overwhelmed they would retreat up the hill.

Our job on the tender was to supply the brush trucks with water and fight fire when called upon. We would fill up with our suction pump from ponds, rivers and/or find a hydrant back in Ellensburg.

As the day wore on our 2.5 hours of sleep and the 96 degree temperatures and MRE meals combined to make quite a challenge to staying sharp. The tender has no air conditioning.

The day was saved by low winds and a back burn operation. In a coordinated attack using flare guns shot from a boat and a new use of drones that eject what is referred to as dragon fire, the hills were burned from the river up to meet the advancing flame front. We also had a helicopter dropping water on large spot fires. No homes were lost in our area and we stayed for three days.

As an aside: When you drive through eastern Washington in a fire vehicle you are a bit of a rock star: Cheers, car horns, coffee and homemade chocolate chip cookies. I am glad to be home, though.

Weiss is chief of Skagit Fire District 13