By Nisqually Valley News staff
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.
