WHITMAN COUNTY, Wash. – The Nisqually John Fire was 100% contained as of Sunday morning with no injuries and no structures lost, but without quick aerial support, the outcome could’ve been completely different.
“The way that wind was blowing, the air resources really kept it at bay,” Whitman County Fire District 14 Deputy Chief Nick Bell said. “We couldn’t get boots on the ground, this terrain was just too rough and the fire activity was too aggressive for us to really be able to attack it by the ground. It would’ve been a primarily defensive attack without those air resources.”
Those air resources mobilized quicker than in years past, according to Bell. He credits Washington House Bill 1498, which provided funds for local fire districts to get air resources immediately. Passed last year, the bill became law on July 27, 2023, and was used on June 14, 2024 for the Nisqually John Fire.
“Historically it’s been a process to go through the state mobilization for it, and it really sped that up. The bill really worked well, I was able to get air resources immediately,” Bell said. “In the end it really helped keep the fire smaller than it could’ve been.”
