The Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will turn over 15 surplus wildfire engines to fire districts in wildfire-prone rural communities across Washington state this spring.
The distribution of surplus engines is part of the agency’s annual effort to help strengthen fire response at the local level, DNR said in a news release on Wednesday.
“Local fire districts are a critical first line of defense against wildfire,” said George Geissler, DNR’s state forester and deputy supervisor responsible for wildland fire management. “They’re an invaluable initial attack resource, able to reach ignitions early and keep them small. That rapid response time in turn benefits DNR by reducing the potential for larger, more severe wildfires that require multi-jurisdictional response. It is truly a win-win situation.”
The surplus engines were made available through one of DNR’s Fire District Assistance Programs, which offer a variety of ways fire service members in high-risk areas can obtain wildfire-specific engines and other equipment, according to a news release.
In 2017, the state Legislature authorized DNR to transfer ownership of surplus engines to qualifying districts in need at no cost to them.
“This gets vital resources into the right hands to build and maintain a strong first line of defense,” DNR said in a news release.
Meanwhile, the Federal Excess Property Program — which DNR facilitates — is a similar program on the federal side that allows fire districts serving frontline communities to acquire Forest Service engines and equipment on loan, again at no cost. DNR uses House Bill 1168 funding to customize those federal resources to the specifications of the local fire department, making the equipment better suited to their specific needs, according to a news release.
“Strong working partnerships across the local, state and federal levels are so critical when it comes to fighting wildfire,” Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said. “Suppression efforts are interconnected, often in ways many people aren’t aware of. I’m committed to ensuring Washington’s towns continue to have the tools they need to be prepared to defend against wildfire.”
