Federal Official’s Deer Park Stop Focuses on Wildfire Response, Aerial Firefighting

U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum made a brief stop at Deer Park Airport Aug. 12 while traveling to Colville, where he was scheduled to meet with firefighting officials. “I was notified by the Bureau of Land Management that Secretary Burgum would be landing at Deer Park Airport while en route to a meeting in Colville,” Deer Park Airport Manager Darold Schultz said. “I was initially curious about the specific objectives of his visit to our airport,” he added.

During the stop, Schultz said he and Burgum discussed for- est management and wildfire-fighting tactics, as well as the firefighting aircraft stationed at Deer Park Airport. Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Billy Costello also attended Burgum’s arrival. “In all honesty, we were just the welcome committee and only spoke to him for about 15 minutes. Our airport was just the most convenient one for him to land," Costello said.

Schultz agreed that Burgum's visit to the airport was brief because the secretary was traveling to his meeting in Colville. “It appeared that he (Burgum) was gathering information prior to making operational changes to aerial firefighting,” Schultz said. During the visit, Schultz said Burgum commented on the activity at the airport. “He noted how busy we must be in our efforts to support those affected by the wildfires.” While Burgum was at Deer Park Airport, Schultz said the secretary had not yet seen the full extent of the wildfire devastation firsthand. No specific discussion about federal wildfire resources or recovery assistance took place during Burgum's stop at the airport, Schultz said, adding that the importance of Burgum's visit went beyond the brief stop itself.

He said seeing wildfire impacts firsthand is important as communities continue to face increasingly complex wildfire threats. “It is vital to witness the devastation firsthand. As the wildland-urban interface expands, our strategies must evolve, making the strategic placement of assets crucial.” Schultz said he hopes Burgum's visit and the information gathered during his time in the region will contribute to changes that improve the nation's wildfire response. Schultz also said there remains a difference between understanding wildfire impacts from a distance and experiencing them in the communities where fires occur. “While officials in Washington, D.C., may understand the situation intellectually, there remains a significant disconnect from the experience of living through it.

Improved forest management is essential to mitigating the devastation of these fires. Secretary Burgum appears very knowledgeable, and I trust he will do his best to streamline the firefighting process,” said Schultz. Burgum did not respond to comment requests by press time.