Submitted by San Juan County Department of Emergency Management

Three local agencies have sent response staff to support operations on the Spromberg Fire north of Leavenworth, Washington. The blaze began in a massive pile of old logs and timber just off the Chumstick Highway mid-day on May 23. Given the intensity and the strong winds, the fire spread quickly.

As part of the State of Washington’s extensive support to the response, two island fire districts have sent personnel. Orcas Island Fire and Rescue’s Lieutenant George Schemerhorn and Lieutenant Michael Henderson from San Juan Island Fire are working as a two-person team as part of a larger strike force to put out the persistent fire in the log yard. This joint deployment between the two departments is a great opportunity for valuable coordination and learning that should benefit both organizations enormously.

In addition, Brendan Cowan from the San Juan County Emergency Management Department is serving as the public information officer on the fire, working as part of the Northwest Incident Management Team which was brought in to help manage the event.

As of Thursday, May 25, the size of the fire is 42 acres, and the fire is 78 percent contained. It’s not anticipated that the fire will grow any further, and hopefully will be fully contained in a day or two.