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07/16/2007: "Bad News/Good News"

( Firefighters participating in wildland firefighting course)

The bad news is that all burn permits have expired for the season. Currently recreational fires up to two feet in diameter in approved burn rings are allowed.

With the warming temperatures and lower humidity, the Department reminds you to be careful when working around dry grass or other fuels. Many local fires have been started in the pasts by lawn mowers or weed eater striking a rock and causing sparks that ignite dry grass.

The good news -while were on the subject of wildfires- is that nineteen new wildland firefighters have joined the volunteer ranks in San Juan County. Four firefighters from Lopez Island, and 15 from San Juan have completed San Juan Island Fire Department’s Wildland Firefighter 2 course.



The course encompasses four days over two weekends, culminating in a live burn for hands on practice of the newly learned skills and knowledge. The timing of the course each June precipitates the wildland “season” which typically runs from July through to about September, depending on weather conditions.

The San Juan firefighters participating in the course this year included Robin Dyer and Ben Waldron at Station 31 (Mullis St.), Jack Casey and Jeff Sarantopulos at Station 33 (Little Mountain), Scott Boden and Wendy Wood at Station 34 (Sunset Point), David Billstrom at Station 35 (Roche Harbor), Matt Del Grosso, Bryce Fintel and Corwin Waldron at Station 36 (Eagle Crest), and Jim Carroll, Bruce Haggar, and Hollie Swanson at Station 37 (Brown Island).

Our local firefighters are trained to the same entry level standards as those that fight the large wildland fires you hear about across the nation each summer. In fact, when requested, members of our department deploy to assist with wildland fires across Washington, as was the case when SJ Island Fire Department firefighters Kyle Davies and Jason Wood recently went to the eastern part of the state to assist in suppression efforts at the Easy Street fire east of Wenatchee. Davies is serving as single resource boss of the wildland engine and Wood is serving as firefighter. They were put to work immediately upon their arrival.

While ever mindful of maintaining manning levels for our own needs, the greatest benefit of having firefighters deploy is the invaluable knowledge and experience they gain which is then passed on to local volunteers.

The 64 members of the San Juan Island Fire Department provide both structural and wildland fire protection as well as rescue services to the community from seven stations around the island.