In the June 17th Port Townsend Leader, Deb Stinson from Local 20/20’s NPREP group discusses the need to be prepared for wildfire threats in Jefferson County, and notes that the upcoming All-County Preparedness Day on June 27 at Finnriver in Chimacum from 10AM to 4PM will have information on how to become better prepared for the unexpected, including wildfires, earthquakes and major storms. See the full article below.
Be Wildfire Ready – PREPARATION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR RESILIENCE
As a rural community, our ability to respond to emergencies and recover from disaster is dependent on knowing where and how to connect to information and resources before a crisis.
It was August 2025, when East Jefferson County got a wake-up call in the form of a rapidly growing brush fire in the heart of Beaver Valley, threatening people, animals, homes, and livelihoods. East Jefferson Fire Rescue responded quickly and was later joined by surrounding fire districts, bringing additional skilled firefighters and essential equipment. Evacuation alerts were issued, and a shelter was established. Fortunately, the fire was contained without loss of life or essential structures during that dry and windy weather.
This year, the wildfire threat for Jefferson County is elevated earlier due to ongoing atmospheric and dry field conditions. If you were in the immediate area of a fire, would you know what to do? What is the evacuation notice suggesting, does it include your location, and if so, how soon should you go, what should you take, where should you go for help or to learn more?
Be sure to mark June 27 on your calendar for the All-County Preparedness Day at Finnriver in Chimacum from 10AM to 4PM. The event is sponsored by the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (DEM), Local 20/20’s Neighborhood Preparedness (NPREP) Action Group and The Production Alliance (TPA).
This is a fun, educational and all ages event where you can visit with friends and neighbors while learning about some of the best ways to become better prepared for the unexpected to include wildfires, earthquakes and major storms.
Workshops are planned throughout the day and include Wildfire Preparedness; Solar and Energy storage systems during an emergency; Neighborhood Preparedness information to provide ways to prepare your neighborhood for emergencies.
Looking forward to seeing you June 27 at Finnriver, 10Am to 4PM. More details can be found at theproductionalliance.org/preparednessday .
This column was developed by Deborah Stinson of NPREP with contributions from Jefferson County’s Department of Emergency Management. Stinson is a founding member of NPREP and has been actively involved with Jefferson County DEM for over fifteen years.
