Voices Heard From No Man's Land "We Need Help"

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Story Published: Nov 24, 2009 at 9:06 AM PST

By Peter Bukowski

Every summer when wildfires ravage the range land in Eastern Washington, the issue of the so called "No Man's Land" comes up.

"Even though it's No Man's Land it doesn't make any difference, you're still getting paid, fight the fire," cried one voice at the Snipes restaurant in Sunnyside.

And while the area in question isn't heavily populated there was fire in their voices as they told lawmakers why they needed something, anything to help them fight these fires.

"We've gotta give people the right to do the right thing," was the call.

Paul Tilley spearheaded this meeting with lawmakers and fire personnel. He'd fought off a brutal brush fire this summer from taking his house. He had to do it, because no one else would.

"What upset me most was the fact that a lot of people lost a lot of things when there was fire department sitting watching the whole thing happen," Tilley explained.

Paul Tilley says he understands the risks of living in No Man's Land: firefighters will be slow to respond if they come at all, but when they do come, he says they should be fighting the fire, regardless of jurisdiction, rather than watching the blaze tear through the landscape.

And neighbor after neighbor expressed the same frustrations today. But they do have options.

Benton County Fire Chief Mike Harris explains, "If that were in a fire district or had a contract with a fire district, they could engage and knock most of the fire down."

I asked Paul Tilley if he and his neighbors would be willing to start a fire district. "We would be willing to do just about anything to protect life and limb without going broke doing it," he replied.

And while the solution to this problem can be argued, keeping people safe is something everyone can agree on.

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