Rochester Washington has been facing one of the harshest brush fire seasons it has seen in a long time. Tuesday afternoon being no exception as homes and farms were evacuated from the latest fire. 

Washington State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Scatter Creek Fire located near Grand Mound in Thurston County. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on August 22, 2017, at 4:30 pm at the request of Fire Chief Robert Scott, West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

The fire started on August 22, 2017, at approximately 1:33 pm, and the cause is under investigation.

Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau have ordered two wildland strike teams.  The fire will be managed by a Type 3 Incident Management Team.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Camp Murray is activated to a Level 2 to coordinate state assistance for the Scatter Creek Fire.  State Fire Marshal’s Office personnel are en route the scene to coordinate 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 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:  www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/mobilization.htm.