In a bid to boost wildfire suppression capabilities, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is set to provide 25 surplus wildland fire engines to various fire districts across the state, a move strategically aimed at reinforcing the responsiveness of local fire crews in areas with high wildfire incidence. According to a recent announcement, this initiative is part of DNR's ongoing efforts to fortify initial wildfire defense and enhance the potential for the containment of smaller, more manageable wildfires before they escalate.
George Geissler, the State Forester and Deputy Supervisor of DNR, underscored the critical role local first responders play in wildfire situations, explaining, "Ensuring the first responders best situated for swift initial attack have the tools they need to reach ignitions early and keep them small ultimately benefits DNR by reducing potential for those larger, more severe wildfires," in a statement obtained by the department's news release. The allocation of these engines stems from the Surplus Engine Program, which equips fire service members in at-risk areas with the necessary wildfire-specific apparatus.
The capability for DNR to distribute these engines without cost to the qualifying fire districts is the result of the 2017 legislation and is further supported by the funding from House Bill 1168, passed in 2021, which accelerated the agency's engine replacement rate—thereby increasing the availability of surplus engines to frontline fire districts. Notably, such efforts are complemented by federal programs like the Federal Excess Personal Property Program (FEPP) and the Firefighter Property Program (FPP), which also allow acquisition of surplus equipment from the Forest Service and Department of Defense at no charge.
Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove, highlighting the importance of multi-level cooperation for successful wildfire suppression efforts, remarked, "DNR’s Surplus Engine Program is a great example of our state’s efforts to fund wildfire prevention and response working best on the front lines," as mentioned in the press release. Upthegrove has been actively advocating for the state legislature to fully restore funding for wildfire prevention and response after it was halved in the previous session which not only threatens the deployment of fewer firefighters but also subjects forest health programs, early detection capabilities, and community support to drastic reductions.
For further details on the potential impact of funding cuts and to watch the recorded press conference where Commissioner Upthegrove discusses the surplus engine procurement, the public is invited to visit DNR's news page, where additional information on enhancing wildfire and forest health, as well as community resilience funding, can also be found.
