Tackling the country's biggest fire

"I've never been in a fire that big," said Max Jones, public safety officer with the Orcas Island Fire Department. "It was unbelievable, the largest in the nation."

No, this was not a fire on Orcas Island. It was one that saw Jones and three other Orcas islanders join with more than 1,600 firefighters from virtually every state in the country to battle 100-foot flames during a fire that destroyed more than a hundred homes in eastern Washington, near Dayton and Pomeroy.

These are strong words from Jones, who was making her seventh trip to fight a wildland fire and, therefore, has seen some extremely destructive ones. She was joined by three first-timers: Dacia Youngren, Sean Moriarty and Jeff Jones. The foursome, all of whom have completed the extra training that certifies them to fight wildland fires, responded to a call for help that came in around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 7. Just three hours later, they were on the ferry and heading to Eastern Washington. The Orcas firefighters were part of a team from San Juan Island, North Whidbey Island and Mount Vernon.

The decision to send the four firefighters was made by Chief Mike Harris, who also allowed them to take one of the department's two brush trucks. "It was the number we could safely take," said Jones, explaining that the department has to maintain a sufficient number of personnel and equipment on Orcas in case a wildland fire erupts here. A brush truck has four-wheel drive, and can carry up to 300 gallons of water and foam.

By taking the brush truck, the department received $5,000 by the Washington State Patrol.

The firefighters each were paid $10.78 per hour.

But perhaps the biggest benefit to the department was what they learned by fighting this huge fire. Despite all their training, "You can't get this anywhere else," Jones said, adding that it will come in handy when they fight future widlland fires, one or more of which could be here on Orcas.

As for Youngren, she found the experience exhilarating, even addicting. "Working on a fire of that magnitude is really an experience of a lifetime -- it's exhausting, dirty work, but in the process you discover a sense of kinship and aliveness like no other. It's in my blood now," she said.

The work was long and "very intense," said Jones, who fought the fire for eight days before returning home. Moriarty was on the scene for five days, while Youngren and Jeff Jones fought the fire for three days.

Work began at 5 a.m., when firefighters awoke, filled the brush truck with water and, when time, which was not always, grabbed a quick breakfast before reporting for the daily briefing at 6 a.m. "Our days ran from 12 to 16 hours," Jones said, "and with no breaks for lunches." Typically, the firefighters took their lunches with them, but again, there were times when not there was enough time to grab one.

Temperatures at the scene were in the low- to mid-90s. The winds averaged five- to 10 miles per hour, but at times gusted to 30 mph.

The Orcas contingent was part of a team that delivered water to those fighting the fires, but the firefighters also worked on the ground, dousing flames and pouring dirt on the hot spots. The local firefighters never felt that their lives were in danger, but Jones admitted that things got "dicey" during a thunder and lightning storm.

Two other certified wildland firefighters from Orcas Island, Perry Pruett and Chris Phipps, also traveled to eastern Washington to fight a fire. They joined in an effort this summer to protect homes that were threatened by one near Wenatchee.

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