Above-average wildfire season drives shelter, volunteer demand in Northwest

WASHINGTON STATE — The Red Cross says more wildfire evacuation shelters have been opened in the Northwest so far this year than during all of last wildfire season. The increase highlights an intensified need for volunteers in rural communities across Washington.

According to the organization, the Red Cross and its partners opened or supported a total of 26 shelters in the Northwest region during last year’s fire season. 

This year, that number reached 32 before the end of July, indicating a 23 percent increase in shelters needed with more than three months left this wildfire season.

“If we get two or three different events happening at the exact same time, that's when we start to feel it,” said Marissa Kelly, a Red Cross Community Disaster Program Manager (CDPM) for the Central and Southeast Washington Chapter.

The American Red Cross said the first wildfire shelter of the season opened as early as June, with needs expected to continue into October. Because wildfires can burn for weeks or even months, the organization emphasized the required constant response to changing conditions and evacuation needs.

The earlier and increased response reflects above-average wildfire activity nationwide. So far this year, the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) says over 45,000 wildfires have burned nearly 5.7 million acres nationwide. According to statistics shared by California Incident Management Team 2 Public Information Officer Mike Theune, fire occurrence was 128 percent of the 10-year average, while acres burned reached 143 percent of the 10-year average, as of Aug. 5.

There are about 95 active large wildfires nationwide, with about 17 in Washington State alone, according to NICC statistics. Large wildfires have been especially prevalent east of the Cascades, including the nearby Little Giant Fire, which has put communities among Lake Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan and Manson under evacuation notice.

Multiple fires are burning further north, near the Canadian border, while communities in Eastern Washington are affected by multiple devastating wildfires.

With these ongoing fires, the Red Cross says it has an urgent need for volunteers in rural and wildfire-prone communities, where local responders can help open shelters, support evacuees, and provide comfort and assistance during emergencies. 

A large amount of resources have been directed to Spokane, where the area is experiencing several devastating wildfires. In an email to Ward Media, Northwest Region Communications Director Betsy Robertson said the Spokane shelter has had to call in nationwide support to meet the needs of hundreds of evacuees. With the exception of Spokane, she added, every other shelter is being staffed exclusively by volunteers, highlighting the importance of local support.

“Volunteers are the heart, the soul, the hands of everything we do at the Red Cross,” said Kelly.

The Red Cross balances the number of fire victims and the duration of the shelter’s operation when deciding how many more volunteers to call upon and how to divy up shifts.

“We're usually coordinating with our local team of, okay, who could take night shift today? Are they able to repeat that night shift tomorrow or do we need to find somebody else? So I think we're a little bit more flexible on the local level,” said Kelly.

Volunteers receive free training and can serve in a variety of roles based on their interests, skills and availability. They can also decide how far they are willing to travel to respond.

While some only respond to their immediate community or county, others will travel throughout Washington State and Northern Idaho, said Robertson. Some volunteers, she added, will sign up to deploy to disasters across the United States, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

“Once trained, volunteers get to choose exactly how far and how long they go,” said Roberston.

The Red Cross works in close coordination with local emergency managers — who ultimately request the opening of a shelter — to determine geographic locations that are safe and accessible for evacuees.

The goal is to have a shelter open within two hours of a request. That means setting up the cots that will soon arrive at the location, getting food service up and running, and putting up signs inside and outside the building to guide the people coming for help.

If the Red Cross doesn't have an available local workforce to respond, that process can be longer, said Robertson. The organization is encouraging those interested in volunteering to sign up before conditions potentially worsen throughout August and September.

“Our shelters are powered by volunteers. When families are forced to leave their homes, it’s local volunteers who welcome them with comfort and resources,” said Lacie Clark, Greater Inland Northwest Chapter Executive Director. “If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now is the time to join the Red Cross and help your community prepare for the next evacuation.”

According to Robertson, fewer than two dozen volunteers are confirmed across Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties. Of those, less than 10 have completed the training needed for responding to local fires and working in shelters.

As of early August, the Little Giant Fire incident management team has identified two Red Cross Emergency Center locations in Entiat and Chelan, but they are currently unstaffed, in standby mode, and only available upon request by phone. According to the Red Cross’s map, seven locations are providing shelter and other assistance across Okanogan, Stevens and Spokane counties.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media