Fire fighting costs require proactive approach

Spokane County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Bruce Holloway says last week’s 50-acre fire near Depot Springs Road cost an estimated $150,000–$200,000 to fight and contain.

That’s nothing compared to the over $1 billion already spent this year fighting more than 33,000 fires burning 3.4 million acres nationally, including 40 large wildfires from Arizona to Alaska. Among those are the Lodgepole and Beaver Creek fires in central Idaho, Big Windy Complex and Government Flat Complex in Oregon and the Conrad Lake fire in Washington.

That $1 billion figure is nearing the 10-year average of $1.4 billion,...