Wildland
The Poulsbo Fire Department currently has 12 career members and several volunteers who make up the Poulsbo Wildland Team (PWT). The PWT is specially trained and equipped for local, state, and federal mobilization.
In January 2025, Poulsbo Fire deployed a four-person engine as part of a Kitsap Strike Team—FF Shane Keeley, FF Curtis Lightner, FF Josh France and Lt. Josh Warter—to Southern California in response to the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The team was assigned to the Palisades sector with primary responsibilities including patrol operations, extinguishment of remaining hot spots, systematic gridding informed by aerial thermal imagery, and providing a visible presence to deter looting while enhancing safety for supporting crews operating in our area.
The Palisades assignment proved to be one of the most severely impacted portions of the incident. Team assessment estimated that approximately 50–75% of structures in the affected zone were consumed down to their foundations. The scale of destruction and the resulting loss of property and community fabric were profound, and the weight of that loss left a lasting impression on every member of the deployed team.
Amid the devastation, our crews also experienced powerful expressions of gratitude from the local population that underscored the human impact of the mission. Encounters of this nature occurred frequently throughout the deployment and were a meaningful source of encouragement for personnel operating under difficult and emotionally taxing conditions.
The level of professionalism and dedication demonstrated by the deployed members is admirable. Their work contributed to protecting lives and infrastructure in a community facing catastrophic loss, and the team is grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside allied agencies during this historic incident.