State resources tapped to help fight wildfire in Adams County

Firefighters on the Lind Fire near Lind, in Adams County, will have help from state resources, as the Washington State Fire Service Resource Mobilization Plan was authorized Sunday.

The fire is burning in sage, grass and wheat, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, which is a bureau of the Washington State Patrol. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization Sunday at the request of Adams County Fire District 2 Chief Kevin Starring.

The blaze started at 10:56 a.m. Sunday and was estimated at about 20,000 acres and growing, threatening homes, crops and infrastructure. Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations were in effect. The cause is under investigation.

Fire Protection Bureau mobilization specialists ordered air resources as of Sunday evening. The State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray is coordinating help and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is working remotely to dispatch resources.

Under the state mobilization plan, the Fire Protection Bureau coordinates initial dispatch and continued administrative oversight of resources for the length of the mobilization, according to a release from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The plan is “implemented to provide a process to quickly notify, assemble and deploy fire service personnel, equipment and other resources from around the state when fires, disasters or other events exceed the capacity of local jurisdictions.”