08/04/2026
Over the weekend, firefighters from Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One deployed to eastern Washington as part of the South Puget Strike Team, alongside firefighters from Eastside Fire & Rescue, Bremerton Fire Department, Bainbridge Island Fire Department, Browns Point/Dash Point Fire (Pierce County Fire District 13), and South Kitsap Fire and Rescue - Official Site.
After initially staging in Cle Elum, the strike team was assigned to the Old Trails Fire in Spokane. The following day, they responded to the Autumn Lane Fire, where crews worked through the night protecting homes as the fire approached nearby neighborhoods. On August 3, firefighters continued operations on both incidents, reinforcing fire lines, conducting burnout operations, extinguishing spot fires, and working alongside hotshot crews and aerial resources.
These fires have caused significant damage across the Spokane area, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected.
In the first three days of deployment, the strike team has:
✅ Protected multiple residential structures during critical fire spread
✅ Conducted overnight structure triage and point protection with zero structure loss
✅ Collaborated with two hotshot crews and city fire units for coordinated suppression efforts
✅ Operated across three divisions on two major fires in the Spokane area
✅ Completed more than 48 hours of active fireline operations without incident
Wildland deployments are a team effort, and we're proud to have our firefighters working alongside agencies from across Washington.