What used to be a rarity, has become routine. For the fourth time in the past five summers, the state has looked to the Washington National Guard for help fighting wildfires.
Specialist Donnie Passey found out Sunday he was being sent east, again. This will be the third time he’s been activated to fight fires.
He wasn’t surprised to get the call.
”I live in Seattle, and there’s a ton of smog. I’m like, I know what this is coming from,” said Passey.
He said his boss at Salinas Construction was very supportive of giving Passey the next two weeks off to respond to the wildfires.
Specialist Christopher Nehm’s boss at Safeway in Mukilteo canceled her vacation to fill Nehm’s shifts as Assistant Manager.
Nehm had a harder time selling the sudden assignment to his boys, ages eight and two.
“My oldest didn’t want me to go,” said Nehm, “My youngest didn’t quite understand when he came and dropped me off this morning.”
Nehm said he’s glad the activation is only for two weeks. He’s also leaving behind a pregnant wife.
“It’ll be good to get back home,” said Nehm, “It’ll also be good to get out in the community and do what we were trained here to do.”
The state also requested wildfire help from the Washington National Guard in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
Before that, the last time the Guard responded to wildfires in Washington was 2001.
