Help your neighbors, local first responders

It’s hard to sit back and do nothing. As I sat in my office Monday morning writing the latest update on the River Road East Fire, waiting for the rain that eventually came pouring, it was numbing. It’s hard to focus when we know what is happening to the east.

On Sunday, I spoke with people who had lost their homes from the River Road East Fire. We’ve asked in the question of the week previously what people would take in case of a wildfire. I’d grab my dog and my phone, some clothes and the box of photos that aren’t digitized. Some of the residents had a matter of minutes to get out before the fire reached their homes.

This is devastating for our entire Sanders County community. Driving through Paradise on Friday afternoon, I imagine it was a little like what a war zone feels like. The plume of ash and smoke was like a tornado burning across the mountain, and spot fires were everywhere.

We’re so thankful for all of the local first responders and firefighters who rallied Friday afternoon as soon as the fire was spotted. Every agency in the county, even surrounding counties, helped to protect the community of Paradise.

Incident Commander Brent Olson with the Northern Rockies team in charge of managing the fire explained Sunday that their crew has the resources they need. If you’ve never visited a fire camp, it’s like a small city. They have a food tent and sleeping spaces and shower trailers and just about everything you could possibly need.

So what can we do? Most important is to help your neighbors. Help those people who have lost their homes or are still unable to get back to their homes to see what remains. Help our local first responders. Many of these organizations are run by volunteers. Donate to your local ambulance service, fire department or food bank. Make them cookies and signs and cards and just let them know you appreciate them.

Another important thing we can do is to let the firefighters and first responders do their jobs. It’s enticing to drive through and look at the fire activity, but adding traffic and pulling over to watch the fire can be dangerous and hinder firefighting operations. We need to give them space to manage this terrible disaster.

It will likely be weeks before this fire is out. Continue to pray for the community of Paradise and be there for our neighbors.

­— Annie Wooden