State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray Activated For Highway 141 Fire

State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Highway 141 Fire located approximately 5 miles north of White Salmon, Washington in Klickitat County. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources at 6:30 p.m., September 5, 2012, at the request of Klickitat County Fire District #3.

The fire started on September 5, 2012 at approximately 1:30 p.m. and is burning in grass and timber.  The cause of the fire is unknown.  The fire has grown to an estimated 1300 acres. There are approximately 50 residences threatened by the fire with evacuations in place. Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered five strike teams of Wildland engines to supplement the resources already fighting the fire. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered for the fire and will assume command at 0900 today.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Camp Murray has been activated to Phase II, to coordinate state assistance for the Highway 141 Fire. Personnel from the Office of the State Fire Marshal will be on scene to coordinate dispatch of resources, and other personnel will staff the State EOC.  Under the State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan, the Fire Protection Bureau coordinates the initial dispatch and continued administrative oversight of resources and personnel for the duration of the incident. The Mobilization 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. More information about the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan is available at: http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/mobilization.htm

- Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Bill Slosson