A Washington business owner has bought a used fire engine to help defend his home, business and surrounding community as wildfires continue to threaten the area near Lake Cle Elum.
Shawn Parker, owner of Cascade Playtime Rentals in Ronald, said wildfire smoke and the closure of the lake have brought his recreation business to a halt during the peak summer season.
“We’re shut down,” Parker told MyNorthwest. “They closed the lake for the first time ever in history. You’re not allowed to even walk on the lake. Can’t even skip a rock.”
The company usually rents boats, jet skis and kayaks in summer, as well as snowmobiles in winter, but Parker said changing smoke conditions and local closures have stopped trade.
Parker said he had originally been looking for a water truck before finding a specialized fire engine with a telescoping water cannon on an online marketplace.
The truck can project water more than 100 feet, allowing him to spray tree canopies that could carry fire across the neighborhood.
“The guy who had the engine was squirting trees over 100 feet tall,” Parker said. “I’m like, that makes sense. Let’s get the top of the trees wet.”
Parker said he paid $6,000 for the rig, far below the hundreds of thousands of dollars he said similar equipment can cost.
“They’re about $700,000,” he said. “So I figure I got a good deal. It’s a good running 500-horsepower Detroit, big turbo diesel. It’s got the big pumps, and all the big hookups.”
According to the report, the vehicle carries about 750 gallons of foam and 750 gallons of water.
Parker said he plans to remain if fire approaches, using the truck to protect his home and business rather than evacuating immediately.
“We’re not scared,” he said. “We’re not leaving. We’re gonna stick around. Can’t lose my house, can’t lose my business. So I’m here for the long haul.”
His sons, Brock and Bo, are also learning how to operate the engine and its different spray settings.
“They’re getting educated on it. We’re not playing with it,” Parker said. “You got a squirter that has a full-blown hose that squirts a long way, or you got a fogger.”
Parker intends to reduce ember ignition risks by keeping nearby ground and trees wet.
“We’ve fire-proofed everything around us so we have no ground fires,” he said.
The closest threat, Parker said, is the Three Queens Fire near the end of the lake. He said he remains concerned that statewide wildfire activity could stretch firefighting resources.
“This whole state’s on fire, so we’re not a huge priority yet,” he said, adding that nearby resort Suncadia could help draw more support if flames move closer. “If I go, they go.”
Despite the risk, Parker said he is determined to give his improvised wildfire defense plan a chance.
For Parker, the fire engine has become both a practical tool and a symbol of one family’s effort to protect its property and community during an intense wildfire season.
