ARLINGTON — The call came in on the last day of July.

The request for state mobilization came into the Arlington Fire Department at approximately 7:30 p.m. July 31. Crews were mobilized and at the meeting point in Monroe by approximately 9:30 p.m.

For the next week, Arlington firefighters were deployed to at least five wildfires in Eastern Washington: at Palouse Falls, Prosser, Road 10 in Grant County, Lower Crab Creek and South Ward Gap.

Three crews of three firefighters each traded out in overlapping shifts. Arlington’s Engine 46A came back Aug. 4.

“The crews were first sent to a fire in Prosser, and were being demobilized to come home, when another fast-moving brush fire broke out in Moses Lake,” said Capt. Brandon Asher, the wild-land coordinator for Arlington Fire. “State mobilization was approved for the Moses Lake fire, so the crews quickly responded to assist in Grant County. It was the same crew the whole time.”

Brush Truck 46 was first deployed Aug. 2 and came back Aug. 9.

“They went to a fire in Garfield County,” Asher said. “Those crews were on their way home from Garfield, when yet another fast-moving fire broke out in the Mattawa area.”

So they were reassigned to the Lower Crab Creek Fire in Mattawa.

The last exchange of staff was Aug. 7. They were demobilized and headed for home that afternoon, but another fire broke out in Palouse Falls that night, so they were re-mobilized.

Asher explained that eight Arlington firefighters fought those blazes, at one time or another, and their fellow firefighters at home back-filled for those who left.

“Replacement crews were once again ready to exchange this Thursday [Aug. 11] if need be,” Asher said. “There’s still a lot of fire season to go, considering it hasn’t been as hot and dry as normal.”

Asher said that this is the first time in 20 years that Arlington Fire has participated in the state mobilization for wild-land fires.

“Our crews are happy to be able to help other communities in their time of need, just like the rest of the state was able to help us after the Oso slide,” Asher said.