June 15, 2024
Yakima 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 Beam Road Fire, located near Zillah and Sunnyside and the Camas Road Fire located near Wapato. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on June 15, 2024, at 4:15 p.m. at the request of Deputy Fire Chief Joel Byam, Yakima County Fire District 5.
The Beam Road fire started on June 15, 2024, at approximately 12:22 p.m. and is estimated at 8,000 acres and growing. The Camas Road Fire is estimated at 150 acres and growing. They are burning in grass and brush and threatening homes, crops, main power lines, and livestock and their grazing areas. Level 1 and 2 evacuations are in effect at this time. The fire cause for both incidents is currently under investigation.
The State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray remains activated at Level 3, monitoring. Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered four strike teams for the Beam Road Fire and two strike teams for the Camas Road Fire. Both fires will be managed by a Type 3 Incident Management Team. State Fire Marshal’s Office personnel are both en route to the scene and working remotely to coordinate the dispatch of resources.
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/all-risk-mobilization/.
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