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4h ago

Border Patrol Detains Two Contract Firefighters at Washington Wildfire Site

The unannounced operation drew condemnation and intensified scrutiny of DHS limits on immigration enforcement at disaster sites.

Satellite view of the Bear Gulch Fire shows a dense smoke plume over Mason County, Washington, as crews battle the wildfire burning over 7,000 acres in Olympic National Forest and Park. Responders are prioritizing evacuations, air quality protection, and structure defense amid challenging terrain and heavy smoke. Imaged 12 August 2025.
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Overview

  • Agents arrived at a Bear Gulch fire work area, ordered two private contractor crews to line up, checked IDs and detained two firefighters, according to on-scene accounts and images shared by crew members.
  • DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have not explained the basis for the detentions, and the firefighters’ identities have not been publicly disclosed.
  • The U.S. Forest Service incident team said the operation did not interfere with suppression efforts, as crews continued work on a roughly 9,000-acre blaze reported at about 13% containment.
  • Sen. Patty Murray condemned the detentions and requested immediate information on the firefighters’ whereabouts and the administration’s policy for enforcement during active wildfires.
  • The episode revived questions about DHS guidance from 2020 that restricts immigration enforcement connected to wildfire evacuations and sheltering except in cases of serious public-safety threats.