Wildfires in the Spokane, Washington area have already burned through more than 10,400 acres, destroyed 900 structures, and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
Firefighters have been working to contain the fires since they began on Saturday, August 1, and a man has been charged with first-degree arson for allegedly starting one of the three most aggressive fires in the area.
At this point, no deaths have been reported.
Along with fundraisers providing financial support for those affected, one local business has mobilized to turn its headquarters into a relief area for firefighters on the front lines.
JK Boots, a local work boot manufacturer, has donated a large sum of profits to Spokane residents who have lost their homes, has set up food and drink distribution for first responders, and continues to provide a “recharge station” to firefighters who need an opportunity to unwind and refuel.
“We’ve opened our headquarters to the crews on these fires,” a social media post from JK Boots, shared on August 2, said. “Hot coffee. Hot food. A place to wash up, cool off, and rest — our break room is yours.”
In the following days, other locals have donated bulk supplies and volunteered to distribute items to firefighters. JK Boots also began giving free pairs of boots to firefighters.
At first, they had a goal of giving away 50 pairs. They quickly surpassed that.
“We’re just going to keep going,” Tim Khadzhi, one of the owners of JK Boots, told The Spokesman-Review. “I don’t know when it’s going to stop.”
JK Boots has also brought relief to the firefighters, setting up at an incident command post at Mt. Spokane High School, where piles of tattered, duct-taped boots grow into mountains as the firefighters trade them for brand new shoes from the local business.
“We’ve handmade wild land fire boots in Spokane for 20 years for the people who run toward fires,” JK Boots shared on social media. “The fight came to our home. This week, they’re defending our own streets. So we’re going all in.”
The boots are made in America by hand and retail anywhere from $575 to $700. The 50 pairs the company originally promised were a $25,000 value.
Still, they continue to give them away for free.
But in addition to the JK Boots generosity, people across the country began asking if they could sponsor boots for firefighters, too. Now, individuals from anywhere can do exactly that, using a "Sponsor A Firefighter" listing on the company's website. Each listing is the same retail price as the boots that are being given away: $624.99. Supporters can also write an encouraging message that will be included when the shoes are given away.
"We are not marketing this. We are not advertising it. There are zero ad dollars behind it," JK Boots said of the sponsorship offering. "The public built this, and all we did was answer."
It's unclear how many boots have been given away thus far, but the impact is already striking.
“To buy a set of boots like that today is like 600 bucks, and for some of these kids, that’s half a month’s wages,” Brad Smith, a training specialist with the California team 7 incident management team, told The Spokesman-Review.
“We’re overwhelmed by the fact that in everybody’s loss, they’ve lost everything. They’re still rallying around our firefighters here. It’s really something.”
For Khadzhi and his team, it’s a no-brainer.
“We just wanted to do anything that we could,” Khadzhi told Inlander. “With this disaster hitting our hometown, when it’s so close, it just feels a lot different. There’s this feeling that you want to go out there and help and do whatever you can.”
The soles of one firefighter’s boots had completely melted off. He had been borrowing a friend’s boots that were a size and a half too small — until JK Boots hooked him up with a new pair.
Another firefighter’s boots were held together with duct tape “after weeks of hard work on the line with his Seattle Watershed strike team,” JK Boots recounted.
“A new pair of JK wildland fire boots was the easy part. The best part was watching his reaction,” the company wrote.
“Kenny walked around showing everyone his new boots, kicking his feet out, and smiling like he couldn’t believe it. Before long, three more members of his crew were fitted with new boots too.”
These are just two examples of countless acts of generosity at the company’s base camp over the past few days.
“What started as a simple question — ‘How can we help?’ — has turned into one of the most meaningful weeks in our company’s history,” JK Boots shared on social media.
“We’ve met wild land firefighters finishing exhausting shifts, donated boots to crews who needed them most, watched our community rally around the Spokane Complex Fires, and been reminded that the best part of being a local business is showing up when your neighbors need you.”
“We’re so thankful for every firefighter who has stopped by this week,” another post continued. “Spokane has seen firsthand what this fire season has demanded, and your work doesn’t go unnoticed. Stay safe out there.”
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Featured Images: Courtesy of Spokane Valley Fire Department, JK Boots/Facebook
