SAN JUAN COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT NO. 2 (ORCAS ISLAND)

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List of stories about Orcas Island Fire Department

Local firefighters home from eastern Washington

posted 08/28/01
San Juan County firefighters returned from the wildfires in Eastern Washington Sunday, Aug. 26. Max Jones, Kim Thomas, Mike Conners and Pam Conners from Orcas Island worked on brush engines alongside Noel Monin and Claire Vedder from San Juan Island. The firefighters worked as part of a Western Washington strike team under San Juan Fire Chief Bill McLaughlin. A strike team is a group of five brush engines who work together under a strike team leader.

The strike team, which was called up on August 13, consisted of brush engines from King County and Snohomish County as well as one brush truck from San Juan. The strike team was initially dispatched to the fires near Brewster, WA. There the firefighters assisted in controlling the 590 acre Indian Dan Fire and the 5800 acre Gamble Mill Fire. On the 19th, the strike team was released from Brewster to Tonasket, where they spent 6 days fighting the Bailey Mountain Fire, which was close to containment at 3190 acres on Saturday.

The firefighters worked an average of 14 hours each day fighting the fires in temperatures that soared over 100 degrees at times. Heat, dense smoke and steep terrain challenged the firefighters throughout the firefighter efforts. The welcome rains last week helped speed containment of many of the fires. Fire season is far from over, however, and San Juan crews are busy regrouping to assist State and Federal crews if called out again.

Fire razes Orcas Island home

posted 06/18/01
Scant water supplies hindered more than two dozen Orcas Island firefighters' battle against a house fire off Spring Point Road Sunday evening. Firefighters saved a garage and its contents but the home was "a complete loss," said Max Jones, a county Fire District No. 2 spokesperson.

Four people were in the home when the fire broke out but exited without injury.

The fire was reported at 6 p.m. and within four minutes an engine and crew were responding from Deer Harbor, Jones said. The Deer Harbor engine took 14 minutes to reach the fire due to "the long distance," Jones said. "It was hard to get to."

Fire had engulfed the home and threatened the garage. Twenty-seven firefighters operating four engines, two tankers pumped more than 20,000 gallons on the flames and embers over six hours. In knocking down the blaze and mopping up hot spots, the volunteers ran out of water a few times.

"There was just a lack of water out there," Jones said.

Eventually the house's walls fell inward. An excavator was called in to pull the smoldering rubble apart so it could be extinguished.

The Red Cross is assisting the burned-out islanders.

55 volunteers fight Orcas Island fire

posted 04/10/01
Explosions from propane tanks and ammunition rounds in and near an April 5 mobile home fire on Orcas Island required personnel to fight the fire from a safe distance. Firefighters also had the task of exposure protection for the Chinook Motel Apartment. Forty-seven fire personnel and eight medical personnel repsonded to the incident.

The fire was started when the homeowner fell and knocked over a propane tank according to Fire Marshall Rick Galer. Orcas Island Firefighters were in the midst of Thursday night training in the West Sound and Rosario areas when the call went out for Eastsound Engine 21, Rescue 21, West Sound Engine 22, Water Tender 22 and Aid 21. The first personnel arrived on the scene within six minutes and reported the structure was fully involved.

Homeowner, Daryl Holmes was safely out of the home located near North Beach Road and Enchanted Forest Road when help arrived. He was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and transported to Orcas Island Medical Center for evaluation.

The mobile home was a complete loss. Property/contents loss is estimated to be $50,000.