State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Sand Ridge Fire in Klickitat County near Bickleton.  Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources August 21, 2014 at 7:00 am at the request of Klickitat County Fire Protection District 2.

The fire is currently threatening three homes, four outbuildings, and numerous crops.  No evacuation orders have been issued at this time.

Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau ordered four wildland strike teams, one helicopter, a Type 3 Incident Management Team, a 20 person hand crew, 2 bulldozers, and additional water tenders to supplement the resources already fighting the fire.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Camp Murray continues to be activated to Phase II, to coordinate state assistance for the Sand Ridge Fire.  Personnel from the Office of the State Fire Marshal are on scene providing resource coordination and administrative oversight, with other personnel staffing the State EOC.

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 incident.  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: http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/mobilization.htm.