Spokane’s wildfire season has been mild, helped by colder weather, but firefighters are ready for a late start. “We’ve been blessed so far,” Spokane Fire Department Chief Brian Schaeffer said. Among other benefits, Schaeffer said the slow wildfire season has saved money for the fire department, noting that the department’s budget for overtime for firefighters is $240,000 less today than it was last year.
- PUB DATE: 8/1/2019 10:52:55 PM - SOURCE: Vancouver Columbian

VIDEO: A fast-spreading wildfire in the Union area forced evacuations Thursday evening. Officials said the fire was burning uphill from SR 106. No structures had been impacted as of Thursday night, but the fire prompted Level 3 evacuations in the following areas: E. 2nd, 3rd and 4th streets; E. Main Street, E.
- PUB DATE: 8/1/2019 9:51:36 PM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13

The Yakima Fire Department is finding a new way to connect with the community. The department has revamped its website to be more interactive. "If you want to find out what station would respond to where you live, you can do that. What it does is it pulls up this interactive map that has all the departments and fire station districts," said Chief Aaron Markham, Yakima Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 8/1/2019 6:43:25 PM - SOURCE: KNDU-TV NBC 25 Yakima

The Gholson Volunteer Fire Department has added a new rescue/small brush truck to their fleet thanks to a $45,000 grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.

“This new truck will be one of our first-out for wildland fires and rescue situations,” said Gholson VFD Fire Chief Mitch Vaughn. “The truck was made ready for service by adding a slip-on unit with a 300-gallon water tank and is also equipped with extrication tools that will be very helpful when responding to vehicle accidents on the busy Farm-to-Market Road 933.”

According to Vaughn the department has been saving funds a long time for this truck and is pleased to be placing it in service and retiring an unreliable, older truck. It will allow the volunteers to respond more efficiently since it can transport as many as four firefighters, making it more economical with fuel costs.

A proposed fire station closure could leave a 30-mile hole in emergency cover in West Somerset, a councillor has warned.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has opposed the closure of Porlock Fire station and any cuts to stations in Taunton, Wellington and Williton in response to proposals by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

Protestors gathered in Porlock on Thursday afternoon (July 25) to demand the fire service reverse proposals to close their station, claiming it would put both tourists and elderly locals at risk.

Now their district council has called on the fire service to stop the cuts, and will be writing to Somerset's MPs asking them to lobby for further funding from central government.