Answering The Call Beyond The Uniform
by U.S. Air Force Airman Audie Curtis
August 26, 2026

For most people, a wildfire is a sign to get out. For others, it is a call to run towards danger.

Equipped with years of training, experience and a promise to serve, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Eric McNair ... stepped into the billowing and stifling smoke of a wildfire to protect a family, a neighborhood, and the community in which he chooses to support every day.

On Saturday, August 1, 2026, the National Weather Service issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning ... the first in Washington state history ... predicting the volatile convergence of 50 mph wind gusts and critical dryness that primed the Spokane region for catastrophe. These extreme conditions fueled the near-simultaneous eruptions of the Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane fires by early evening, unleashing a historic urban firestorm that forced 67,000 residents to flee their homes and pushed emergency responders to their absolute limits.

“We had extreme fire weather that day,” said Alex Turner, Spokane County Fire District #3 battalion chief. "We had other fires already going on throughout the county, we had been working all day with our area coordinators to make sure we kept resources in-district and also moved some resources to assist with the fires around Spokane.”

Then, at approximately 7:30pm, another wildfire started, burning just two miles west of Fairchild Air Force Base, moving quickly towards the installation. Arriving first on the scene with a crew of three firefighters, the initial attack team, originally dispatched to the Spokane fires, knew they only had a small window to slow the fast-burning wildfire down before it spread. They relied on their training from the fire station to control the scene before backup arrived.

“I was definitely a little nervous, with the winds, the fire conditions, the fires that are already going around in the area,” the volunteer firefighter stated. “We all knew exactly what our job was, we knew exactly what to do, there was no hesitation on our part. We just jumped in and started doing what we've been trained to do.”

The conditions on the ground were ruthless. The smoke grew so dense that it swallowed the landscape entirely. Residents in the area and as well as the Fairchild community held their breath wondering if they were going to be evacuated.

“I couldn’t see two feet in front of me,” the firefighter recalled. "One of my teammates had to follow the hose to reach my position.”

One of the men battling the blaze behind the thick smoke was U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Eric McNair, 92nd Operations Group first sergeant. His ability to maintain a calm composure during chaotic, high-stress situations like fighting fires was heavily forged by his background as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape specialist. Outside of his current duties supporting the health, morale, and welfare of Airmen, McNair steps into heavy turnout gear to serve as an all-hazards volunteer firefighter/EMT for Spokane County Fire District #3.

For McNair, protecting this community is deeply personal. As his attack truck pulled up to a threatened home on Espinola Road, the unpredictable mission of firefighting suddenly hit close to home.

"When we arrived, I saw a family standing outside their house," McNair explained. "All I could think was, 'If this were my home, I'd want someone doing everything they could to save it.'"

That protective instinct stems from a deep, familiar pain. In 2011, when McNair was a Senior Airman at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, a massive tornado swept through the area, wiping out the entire base and his home. He lost everything, but that tragedy eventually fueled his desire to become a volunteer firefighter in 2018.

"The community at Little Rock really wrapped their arms around us during that terrible time," McNair said. "We lost everything we owned, but having the community rally around us meant the world. I always knew I wanted to give back in that same way."

This experience showed him the importance of community support while going through difficult times, making his service as a volunteer firefighter essential to him.

“It was a very historic day for Spokane County, most of our firefighters in the county were out for 24 to 48 hours straight without any rest,” Turner said. “There’s a lot of credit due to all of our firefighters and all of the crews that stayed out and helped protect communities across the board.”

Spokane County Fire District #3, along with other mutual aid agencies, were able to declare that forward progress of the Espinola Fire was stopped within an hour, reducing risk and calming the community. Firefighters remained on scene to continue putting the fire out and protecting nearby structures for over 14 hours.

For McNair, service does not end when the duty day is done. Whether supporting Airmen as a first sergeant or responding to emergencies as a volunteer firefighter, he sees both roles as opportunities to serve something larger than himself.

As the Spokane Area wildfires continue to persist, displacing residents and impacting fire victims, Team Fairchild stands with the greater Spokane community, recognizing the resilience of those affected and the dedication of the firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to protect lives and property.

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