CEDAR CITY – For the first time in its history, Cedar City has dispatched firefighters out of state, responding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s call for reinforcements to give Washington state firefighters relief and assistance in a series of wildfires that have blazed on for nearly a month.
The decision to send their own did not come easily to city officials, Cedar City Mayor Maile Wilson said. There were in depth discussions with the City Manager, Fire Chief and council members before the final OK was delivered.
“We have, as a city, never sent people outside of our area other than Beaver County, Washington County and Iron County,” Wilson said. “And so when we got the information from FEMA where they requested fire crews from throughout the state to be sent we went through all of the different scenarios, the agreement and everything you would expect us to go through prior to sending someone so far away.”
Taking into account that three Washington firefighters have already died fighting the blaze, Wilson said, danger was an obvious consideration – especially when the volunteers were leaving families at home in Cedar City.
“The fact that Washington and the surrounding areas are under a declared disaster emergency (was prominent),” Wilson said. “We had some guys that were willing to go and had the equipment to go; and where it’s a public safety situation, we realized that at the end of the day, they wanted to go help another community and we never know when it could be us that needs help.”
The main focus of the team sent by Cedar City Fire Department will be to protect houses that are near the edges of the fire range as the flames move closer, City Councilman Fred Rowley said.
“The chief said all of the volunteers were experienced men with good judgment,” he said, adding that the chief’s assurance brought comfort to those making the decision to send the men.
The fires burning in Washington state are devastating. A Twisp, Washington resident, Paul Louscher, said he lives 1 to 2 miles away from where the three Washington firefighters died Wednesday; the firefighters crashed and their vehicle was overtaken by fast-moving flames.
That same night, Louscher said, he was evacuated for the first time in his life.
The fire spread really fast, he said, the hazy, smoke-filled skies overtook his home in just the hour he was home for lunch Wednesday. The Okanogan Complex fire raged, and by the time he got home from work on Wednesday, he said, a level 3 evacuation had been ordered. A level 3 evacuation means leave immediately, fire danger is present or imminent.
“I basically have fires in every direction,” Louscher said. “I didn’t know where to go when I got evacuated. I didn’t know where to go, or what to take – I was throwing (things) – I mean I grabbed pictures, and my social security card, and you know, I tried to think of stuff that I couldn’t (replace).”
As of Monday, Loucher said, his home was still standing, but some of his friends haven’t fared so well. Flames are still a threat, he said, even though they are several miles away at the moment.
“There is a fire camp right down the street from my house though,” he said. “So I am feeling pretty safe.”
Washington firefighters are exhausted, Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer, with the Spokane Fire Department, said. Full-time and volunteer firefighters have been working tirelessly day and night to keep the flames at bay, he said, and every little bit of outside help that comes their way makes all of the difference in the world.
Schaeffer said:
The incidents that the local resources have been responding to has (sic) just been overwhelming from an organizational standpoint and a personal standpoint too.
People are just … because the fires are in rural areas, they are doing everything they can to survive. Some of them have lost their homes and they’ve lost their animals and livestock. It’s devastating for them to have worked all day and all night and then come home to the destructions and what the fire’s lost them – it’s just been pretty traumatic for the people in those areas.
Cedar City’s finest arrived in Washington State Sunday night-Monday morning, varying reports from the department and one firefighter said. The two volunteers and two full-time firefighters are on a 14-day deployment, he said.
“We’re stationing them at Fairchild Air Force Base,” Schaeffer said. “So they are going to be available for, not only initial attack to give the locals a break, but they will also be plugged into the wildland fires and complexes that we have in Washington.”
The finalized FEMA request for assistance came in Friday night, Wilson said, and by Saturday morning, the men were on their way to Washington. All four of the men sent by Cedar City Fire Department volunteered to go and help, Wilson said, which is a testament to the quality of people who reside in Cedar City.
“We’re very pleased to help,” Rowley said. “And we’re very proud of these young men and their willingness to volunteer. We’re praying for their safety and well-being, along with all of their firefighting brothers.”
Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.
"The smoky sunrise from Fairchild Air Force Base," Cedar City Fire Department called this photo. Fairchild Air Force Base, approximately 12 miles southwest of Spokane, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Cedar City Fire Department, St. George News
"Stay safe brothers," Cedar City Fire Department captioned this photo. Fairchild Air Force Base approximately 12 miles southwest of Spokane, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Cedar City Fire Department, St. George News
Cedar City firefighters at the Cedar City Firehouse. Cedar City, August 22, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Cedar City Fire Department, St. George News
A nearby recycling center that has been closed because of the fire, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The smoke coming from nearby fires, Twisp, Washington, August 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The firefighters' camp near Paul Louscher's house, Twisp, Washington, August 22, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The red haze in the sky from the month-long fires, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
It's hard to tell, Louscher said, but the whole mountain is burnt all the way up to the house on the right, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The firefighters' camp near Paul Louscher's house, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The firefighters' camp near Paul Louscher's house, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
The firefighters' camp near Paul Louscher's house, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
A ranch on Washington state Route 20 which is near Paul Louscher's house in Twisp and burned in the Wednesday night blaze, Twisp, Washington, August 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Paul Louscher, St. George News
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could the “liberal myth” of climate warming be contributing to the extreme dry conditions?
Forest fires have always been around 🙂
They are good for the environment, when occurring naturally. It us humans treading and living where its unsafe.
Way to make an article about these brave men and woman a political issue. Can’t you just put that crap aside for a second?!
Stay safe goys.. I just have such reverecne for firefighters.. i get the tiniest burn on my finger and i want to be put into a coma til that pain ends! a burn is the most horrible thing ever to experience, and these guys worry so much about fellow man that they heroically head towards a fire.. Love our fireman always.. give them christmas presents, make sure they have cool air in their cars.. spouses be good to them.. and every one of them should have the most fabulous near free health insuance and life insurance there is.. at no cost to them.. Love these guys.. stay safe! and its ok to change your minds and come home!!
* um htat was guys and gals..
Thank you for your dedication and service. Good luck!
Put what on the line? They get paid well and are aware of any risks when they accept the job. No more heros than janitors or sales clerks.
It’s true they get paid VERY VERY well and all expenses. did they receive forest fire training? seems city fireman and wildfire crews would have totally different training…