Caring among the devastation

The Carlton Complex fire in Okanogan County has touched people close to home.

While the wildfire is about an hour away from Moses Lake, several community members, businesses and groups have gathered donation items to help those affected.

Help is needed as the blaze burned about 300,000 acres and 100 homes, displacing several people, according to news reports. And the fire is still burning.

Early on, people started organizing, gathering items and traveling to Okanogan County to deliver bottled water, non-perishable food and other donations.

Firsthand, Basin residents were able to witness the devastation, but also make a difference with their efforts. From firefighters, to businesses, to individuals, a good cross-section of people are stepping up to help.

It really shows how small town eastern Washington is, with caring people throughout.

Columbia Basin Herald reporter Tiffany Sukola accompanied a Moses Lake couple to Okanogan Wednesday on a donation delivery trip. Her article about what she saw will be in Friday's paper.

In the Columbia Basin (and outside our area too), the help provided was an inspiration to see.

Last night, donation items were brought to the Moses Lake Latter-day Saints Stake Center. The group was seeking a variety of items, including bottled water, hygiene kits, powdered milk, non-perishable food and baby supplies.

We understand clothing needs have been handled by the Salvation Army and money is needed the most.

Some people were beyond the obvious, even donating loads of hay for horses and livestock, as seen on a posting on the Columbia Basin Herald's Facebook page.

Okanogan residents have truly lost everything and the devastation is astounding on many levels.

Fire victims returning to their homes are sifting through the ashes that once was their homes, according to a prepared statement from the American Red Cross.

They will have to start over and we hope they know they're not alone in their journey. We are pleased so many Basin residents are helping them do so.

For more information on how to donate, call the Apple Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, at 509-663-3907, or visit redcross.org.

- Editorial Board