Washington Guard Supports Wildfire Response

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - As wildfires spread across Washington state, Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have joined the firefight, working alongside state and local partners to protect threatened communities, property and critical infrastructure.

Washington Army National Guard aviation crews began providing sustained aerial firefighting support July 19 using two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter based out of Deer Park, Washington.

Operating under demanding conditions that include heat, smoke and rapidly changing fire behavior, crews have flown repeated daily missions to deliver water directly onto active fires and support firefighters on the Modrite, Bradeen Hill and Kaiser Canyon fires.

By the end of the 15th day of aviation operations, Guard aircrews had accumulated 146.5 flight hours and dropped 1,181 buckets, or about 972,432 gallons of water.

"Wildfire suppression operations is hands down the most physically and mentally demanding task an Army aviator will perform," said Lt. Col. Adam Hanisch, the state aviation officer, Washington Army National Guard. "These missions require constant communication with firefighters on the ground, as well as with multiple aircraft from various agencies supervising and participating in a visually degraded environment with zero margin of error. We take this extremely seriously from preparation through execution and are honored to provide this service to Washington State."

As new fires broke out through late July, National Guard hand crews were requested by the state's Department of Natural Resources July 28 for support at the Little Giant fire north of Leavenworth, Washington. More than 100 Guardsmen, including five 20-person hand crews, mobilized July 31 to Pangborn to in-process and receive their equipment before heading to the fire camp in Plain, Washington.

"This is a mission we train for long before wildfire season arrives, so when we get the call from our partners at the Department of Natural Resources, we're ready to go," said Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, commander of the Washington National Guard. "I'm incredibly proud of these men and women who have stepped forward to support this mission and am confident they'll bring hard work and professionalism to the fire line. They're taking on demanding, dangerous work to protect our communities, and I hope everyone will do their part to keep them, and everyone working around the clock to fight these fires, as safe as possible."

Wildland firefighting has become a recurring domestic response mission for the Washington National Guard. Each year, Guard members train alongside the Department of Natural Resources and other firefighting agencies to prepare for the possibility of being called to support wildfire response. That preparation allows Soldiers and Airmen to integrate quickly with civilian agencies while remaining under the direction of the incident command system.

The mission is one Washington Guard members have answered repeatedly during the past three decades. From the large-scale response to the 1994 wildfire season to recent activations across the state, Soldiers and Airmen have supported wildland firefighting efforts from the air and on the ground.

Multiple fires erupted Aug. 1 near Spokane, forcing residents to evacuate a heavily populated area. The Guard immediately activated 100 members to support the local law enforcement officers with traffic control point operations, helping residents get to safety.

"Answering the call when our state needs us is at the very core of who we are. This is the spirit of the Guard," said Col. Carrie Wentzel, director of Joint Operations, Washington National Guard. "We train for these critical missions, prepare our force to the highest standards, and when the call comes, we respond alongside our partners in the field. Our Soldiers and Airmen are Washingtonians, and they are fully committed to helping our communities protect lives, homes and property during wildfires."

More than 300 Washington National Guard members are activated to support the wildland firefighting operations across the state.