Washington State Department of Natural Resources
03/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/12/2026 13:17
DNR to Conduct Mock Fire Exercises at Mud Lake
March 12, 2026
Agency helicopters, firefighters and equipment will be deployed on March 25 in a simulated training for aviation and ground crews
In preparation for wildfire season, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting mock fire exercises in the Mud Lake area starting on Wednesday, March 25 with a backup date of March 26, from 1 to 5 p.m.
DNR firefighters will be using firefighting aircraft along with other suppression equipment. Additionally, there will be DNR crews on the ground coordinating the exercise area.
Using smoke cloud devices, colored smoke will come from non-flammable containers in open areas without overhead vegetation. Depending on wind conditions, the public may witness visible smoke at times ranging from small smoke plumes to drift smoke and light smoke haze.
Hosted by the aviation team within DNR's Wildland Fire Management Division, this training will enhance air crews' ability to fight wildland fire more effectively and safely in aerial firefighting activities. It's an opportunity for the ground crews to simulate fire to train the air crews with required tasks.
Three helicopters will be on scene to drop water as needed for this exercise, along with a Kodiak 100 airplane.
MEDIA CONTACT
Thomas Kyle-Milward
Wildfire Communications Manager
Cell: 360-529-7184
Washington State Department of Natural Resources published this content on March 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 12, 2026 at 19:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]