SEATTLE, Wash. — Three residents whose homes were destroyed during the Carlton Complex fire are suing the Department of Natural Resources for their losses.
KIROtv.com reported that residents say the DNR was negligent by not fighting the initially small Golden Hike fire. The blaze eventually joined three other wildfires, making up the Carlton Complex fire. They also claim the state was negligent for not allowing them to fight the flames themselves.
The fire raged for a month wiping out 260,000 acres — that’s 4½ times the area of Seattle. That fire destroyed more than 300 homes and forced a massive evacuation. It was the largest fire in Washington history.
“We had smoke jumpers that asked permission … we had local firefighters that asked permission to go and fight. We had local Cat drivers who asked permission to go on DNR property,” said attorney Alex Thomason, attorney for plaintiff David Shulz, a firefighter for 45 years. “The DNR said ‘no, no, no.’”
“The defendant prevented local volunteers and residents from helping their neighbors battle the fire,” the complaint said. “The defendant abandoned fire lines early in the evening and did not return until morning.”
If other property owners join in, the lawsuit could put the state on the hook for hundreds of millions in damages. Rather than seek a specific amount in damages, the three plaintiffs are asking that the amount be determined at the time of trial.
“Yes, we’re asking for the DNR to pay for what they’ve done, as a good neighbor should,” Thomason said. “We’re also asking them to listen to local people, to change their policy, to let local people participate. If a firefighter on the ground says, ‘I’m going to go charge that hill,’ we let them do that. We shouldn’t have to let them call back to Olympia for permission.”
The Washington State DNR declined to comment on the lawsuit.