August 16, 2020 –
Whitman County – State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource
Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Chief Timothy Fire located in Whitman County, near
Clarkston. The Chief Timothy Fire is burning in grass and trees. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized
the mobilization of state firefighting resources on August 16, 2020, at 6:00 pm at the request of Fire Chief John Dahmen,
Whitman County Fire District 14.
The Chief Timothy Fire started on August 16, 2020, at approximately 4:05 pm. This fire is estimated at 25 acres and
growing. It is threatening rangeland and fencing. No evacuations are in effect at this time. The fire cause is currently
under investigation. Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered air resources only at this time.
The State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray will remain activated to Level 1 to help coordinate state
assistance for the Chief Timothy Fire.
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 mobilization. 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:
https://wsp.wa.gov/draft-all-risk-mobilization/.
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