Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Council earlier this month approved an interlocal agreement with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) allowing DNR to establish a forward operating base for helicopter operations at Camp Bonneville to support wildfire suppression efforts.

The agreement allows DNR space at Camp Bonneville for one helicopter, a fuel truck and building space for seven crew members. DNR’s helicopter operations at Camp Bonneville will assist its efforts to mitigate and improve response times for wildfires in the area.

DNR released to following statement regarding the agreement:

“The Department of Natural Resources has reached a lease agreement with Clark County to house agency Helitack personnel at Camp Bonneville as part of a continued effort to protect Washington and its citizens from wildfire. 

DNR’s Helitack program, comprised of small teams that provide invaluable initial attack capacity, seamlessly integrates with DNR’s Aviation program to deliver premier aerial firefighting capabilities to interagency wildfires throughout the state. 

As Washington’s fire seasons become steadily longer and more severe, the strategic predeployment of air assets each year to allow for rapid response time to emerging fires becomes more and more critical. DNR is grateful for partnerships like this one in order to continue to meet those rapid response goals.”

Camp Bonneville is a former military training camp situated in northeast Clark County. The county has been working with the U.S. Army Base Realignment and Closure Division to clean up the site to allow for public use in the future. More information on Camp Bonneville is on the county’s website at https://clark.wa.gov/public-works/camp-bonneville.

The agreement is available on the county’s website at https://clark.wa.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/2022-04/SR055-22.pdf.

CONTACT:
Erik Harrison, Parks and Lands program manager, Public Works
360.635.3890 erik.harrison@clark.wa.gov

Kaley McLachlan-Burton, interim Community Engagement and Inclusion manger, Public Works, 564.397.1679, kaley.mclachlan-burton@clark.wa.gov