Kent-based Puget Sound Fire assists with Spokane wildfires

Published 12:21 pm Monday, August 3, 2026

Firefighters from across the nation and Washington state, including two from Kent-based Puget Sound Fire, are assisting with the wildfires in Spokane and other parts of Eastern Washington.

“We deployed two firefighters on a 1,500-gallon tender on July 23 to the Railroad Fire, near Vantage,” said Puget Sound Fire spokesperson Pat Pawlak in a Aug. 3 email in response to questions from the Kent Reporter. “Since they have been there, they have been diverted to a couple of other fires in Eastern Washington. They are now on their way to the Spokane fires.”

A tender truck is a specialized vehicle that can transport large volumes of water to fire scenes, especially valuable for rural, remote or wildfire areas where municipal fire hydrants are missing or unusable.

Nearly 65,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Spokane County as crews battle three major wildfires, according to cnn.com. As of late Monday morning, Aug. 3, no injuries or deaths have been confirmed. More than 700 structures have been destroyed since the fires broke out Saturday, Aug. 1.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the fires “really the worst natural disaster our region has faced,” according to several media reports. State Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said there are 15 wildfires burning across the state.

Pawlak said fire departments have protocols to ask for help.

“Once local and mutual aid resources have been exhausted, the department can request additional resources from their county and up through the state,” Pawlak said. “Once the request is approved by the state, requests for assistance is sent and departments fill these requests when possible. The group of apparatus and firefighters that are being deployed meet up at a rally point, and travel to the fire scene together.”

Pawlak said the department definitely is thinking about the impact of the Spokane fires.

“Puget Sound Fire is very sorry for the losses that the community members in and around Spokane, and throughout the state are experiencing and hope that they and all of the emergency responders remain safe,” Pawlak said.

Puget Sound Fire in previous years has assisted with California wildfires.