BOISE, Idaho — We've had weeks of wildfires scorching eastern Oregon and Idaho. Cities and towns have been under evacuation orders, ranchers have lost cattle, and others have lost their homes.
"The paddock fire. It was threatening three different counties... wasn't just threatening... burning three different counties," Jennifer Bivert, Red Cross Community Disaster Officer for Central Idaho and Eastern Oregon, told KTVB on Thursday.
The American Red Cross helps with disaster relief in these moments.
"Since the second week in July, we've been nonstop with wildfires throughout Idaho," Scott O'Connell, the Red Cross Regional Disaster Officer for Idaho, Oregon, and Montana, told KTVB Thursday.
"It has been my busiest year for sure," Bivert added.
They've already opened 16 shelters in the state just this season, according to O'Connell, that's a high number.
"These are very, very stressful times for people," Bivert said. "They're coming for a safe harbor. We're there to give them that."
Something that takes months to prepare for.
"We're spending a lot of time in April, May really doing training, getting the community prepared," O'Connell said.
"Looking at different suitable facilities, and then when it comes time to go, we have an idea of where we can go," Bivert said.
Their goal is to have at least one designated shelter location in each county if not more.
"If a fire does happen, we already have a plan in place to be able to respond to that due to our preparation work," O'Connell said.
And volunteers ready to help out.
"If we had to get air scrubbers in there that help the air be easier to breathe, how would we go about doing that?" O'Connell explained. "We're looking for showers, bathrooms that are all ADA accessible, to be able to make sure that we can help everyone."
That includes places like schools, churches, recreation centers that can hold a minimum of 50 people, and fairgrounds that can take large animals.
When a request from county emergency managers or the sheriff's office come in, Red Cross moves fast to get a shelter available.
"We can get them open very quickly," Bivert said. "The promise that we make is within four to six hours, but we have strategically placed our assets around this region so that they're never more than a couple hours away from any of our location, any of our towns that we serve."
She said they can open shelters as quickly as two hours after request. After receiving a request, their shelter trailers will be driven to the pre-planned location for the shelter.
"It's got 100 cots, 200 blankets, some comfort kits, those hygiene items, coffee maker and some charging units," O'Connell said about what's in the trailers.
Shelter attendance varies in every disaster, both Bivert and O'Connell said.
"Sometimes they have people to stay with, but they need some food," Bivert said. "They need to be fed. So, they come for lunch and dinner, and to get information, get a hot shower."
Idahoans are resilient, not always wanting to leave their property when encouraged to evacuate, according to O'Connell.
"And that's okay," he said. "We want to make sure that everybody knows we're here."
An operation that takes help and many volunteers.
"We can't do it alone, and so we really work with the community as well. We have a lot of partners with grocery stores and other organizations that help supply some of that water when we need it," O'Connell said.
When asked what the best way the public can support other communities experiencing wildfires. O'Connell said Red Cross' biggest ask are for people and money.
Having enough volunteers keeps everything operating, and money is the most effective way for the Red Cross to get people what they need during disasters.
You can donate to your local Red Cross chapter or text "REDCROSS" TO 90999 and donate online.