WALLA WALLA, Wash.- Captain Todd Stubblefield of the Walla Walla Fire Department has returned to his post after aiding in a fire out of his jurisdiction.
925 miles from Walla Walla, Captain Stubblefield was called to travel to Canada and help in the Nipisi Fire.
After lightning strikes caused major fire activity, requiring crews from Alberta, Canada to reach out to agencies in Washington to help local firefighters.
“The Walla Walla Fire Department was assigned to help the Canadian firefighting teams on the Nipisi Fire, which was located 925 miles away from Walla Walla,” said Captain Stubblefield. “The team was responsible for managing Native hand crews, and traveled to the site every day by helicopter as it was extremely remote.”
WWFD has multiple firefighters trained to respond to assistance, but the captain was the first to go international to help his fellow first responders.
“The experience of the Walla Walla Fire Dept. in assisting Alberta, Canada, in fighting the wildland fires was a remarkable display of humanity and cooperation,” said Stubblefield. “It is a great example of how reaching out and helping others in need can make a positive impact on the world.”