SPOKANE, Washington — In the aftermath of the Fairview Fire, part of the Spokane Complex Fire that swept through eastern Washington on Aug. 1, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responded in a familiar way: by serving.
Just days after the fire tore through neighborhoods, a group of young men, their leaders and other members of the Spokane Washington Mount Spokane Stake spent an entire day on Monday, Aug. 3, helping clear debris from properties damaged by the fire. Working alongside homeowners and following firefighters’ recommendations, volunteers removed fallen trees, cleared burned vegetation and worked to establish an approximately 100-foot defensible perimeter around homes to reduce future fire risk.
For many neighbors, the sight was unexpected.
“They were amazed that a group of men and young men simply showed up the day after the disaster and worked all day,” Chelsea McKell, stake communication director and the mother of two of the young men, said. “They didn’t ask for recognition. They just came to help.”
For the youth, the experience became much more than a service project.
“It was crazy to see all the damage,” said Bennett McKell, one of the young men who volunteered. “The guys were pretty quiet when we first saw everything that had burned down. It was a good reminder to be prepared for emergencies and grateful for what we have.”
Among those receiving help was Spokane Washington Mount Spokane Stake President Robert L. Sanders, whose own experience during the fire reflected both the uncertainty of disaster and the quiet miracles that often follow.
As evacuation orders were issued, President Sanders drove away from his home with flames burning on both sides of the road. Later that evening, he received word that his home had likely been destroyed.
When he was finally allowed to enter his neighborhood, he discovered that the fire had advanced to within inches of his front door. His welcome mat had burned, his shop and portions of the property had been destroyed, yet the family home remained standing.
“When I drove away, I truly didn’t expect to see my home again,” President Sanders said. “While we lost much of our property, I felt a deep sense of gratitude — not just for what was spared, but for the opportunity to continue serving others.
“Watching our young men and their leaders set aside their own plans to spend the day helping, [it] wasn’t just an act of service; it was the gospel of Jesus Christ in action. They strengthened our family, blessed our neighbors and reminded all of us that hope grows when we bear one another’s burdens.”
The experience deepened his gratitude and strengthened his resolve to continue serving others whose losses were even greater.
The following day, another remarkable act of service unfolded.
The Young Men from two wards in the Mount Spokane stake had been scheduled to leave on their annual high-adventure trip to Montana. Instead, without hesitation, they postponed their plans and spent the day working on the Sanders’ property and assisting others in the neighborhood.
Together with their leaders and additional volunteers, they hauled debris, cleared brush, cut burned trees and helped prepare properties according to firefighters’ safety recommendations.
Their willingness to exchange recreation for service became a powerful witness of discipleship.
Throughout the Spokane region, Latter-day Saints have joined neighbors, emergency responders and community organizations in caring for families displaced by the fires. Meetinghouses have provided gathering places, local leaders have coordinated assistance, and members have continued to look beyond their own circumstances to bless those around them.
For many who witnessed the cleanup effort, the most memorable image was not the burned landscape, but the dozens of volunteers working shoulder to shoulder in yellow volunteer shirts, quietly demonstrating the Savior’s invitation to “love one another” (see John 13:34).
— Jennifer Hicks is the communication director for the Church’s Spokane, Washington, Coordinating Council.
