Wildfire TV special "In the Line of Duty" from DNR

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) aired a 30-minute television special, In the Line of Duty, which takes viewers on a journey into the charred aftermath of a wildfire start. This television special joins a DNR wildfire investigator as he follows up on an earlier 911 call. DNR investigates wildland fires to locate and understand the point of origin, cause, and, when necessary, locate and identify the person(s) responsible.

The show will be available to fire prevention staff for fire prevention outreach and education.

Most human-caused fire starts are unintentional and caused by carelessness. In Washington State, debris burning is the leading human-caused source of wildfire starts, followed by recreation-related causes. DNR issues citations with fines when it determines a fire was caused by negligence.

“In the Line of Duty” aired on Northwest Cable News Sunday, September 7 and KXLY & KXMN Spokane / Coeur d’Alene Sunday, September 14

For more information on burning, go to DNR’s website at www.dnr.wa.gov. Click on ‘Fire Information & Prevention’ and go to ‘Wildfire Related Maps’ or call 800-323-BURN. For tips on how to reduce the risk of wildfire to communities, homes and families, log on to www.firewise.org. 

DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 12.7 million acres of private and state-owned forestland. DNR is the state’s largest on-call fire department, with hundreds of people trained and available to be dispatched to fires when needed. During fire season, this includes several hundred DNR employees who have other permanent jobs with the agency, about 375 seasonal workers, and about 500 Department of Corrections’ inmates who also participate in suppressing wildfires. DNR also participates in Washington’s interagency approach to wildland firefighting and relies on private sector contractors for certain firefighting resources.