Wildland fire service needed for Soap Lake
A Monday fire near Soap Lake showed how much wildland fire service is needed in the more rural areas of Grant County. True, Grant County Fire Districts 7, 13 and the Ephrata Fire Department responded to the 30-acre blaze and did an admirable job at putting it out, but an additional brush fire truck would have likely helped the situation. The City of Soap Lake is without a brush truck to fight wildland fires because a loaner truck from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) needs a new water tank costing about $6,600. The existing tank doesn't meet the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, according to a Friday Columbia Basin Herald article. It isn't clear if the tank is truly unsafe, or just outdated. We're sure DNR officials have a good reason for the decision. At any rate, DNR officials aren't allowing the truck to be used until a new tank is installed.
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