‘I don’t think any of us will ever be ready’: Gee admits he still doesn’t have a go bag as deadly wildfire rages in eastern WA
Jul 7, 2026, 4:30 PM
More than 100 homes and buildings have burned down, and one person has died due to the Chelan Hills Fire, KIRO 7 reported. Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Douglas County, as the fire is burning 9,861 acres and is at 20% containment as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Watch Duty.
As the deadly Chelan Hills fire continues to burn in eastern Washington, KIRO hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin urged listeners to prepare for wildfire season, with Gee admitting he still doesn’t have a go bag.
“Well, let me just say this: I don’t think any of us will ever be ready,” Gee said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio.
“Some people are,” Ursula pushed back.
“Well, when I say ready, like no matter what, I think there’s a level of ‘Hey, I’m never ready,'” he said. But if it were to happen, the answer to you — and you’ve been asking this for six and a half years — is a to-go bag; I got toilet paper from COVID. You know what I’m saying? Like, I don’t really … I’m just being honest.”
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Preparing for wildfires
KIRO Newsradio meteorologist Ted Buehner previously warned that western Washington is just as fire-prone as eastern Washington. He urged homeowners to create defensible space around their properties, such as moving firewood away from the house and trimming trees and bushes above head height to prevent ladder fires from spreading.
Gee said Buehner’s tips were helpful, but acknowledged he hasn’t done much beyond that to get ready. He asked Ursula what items she would pack.
Ursula said she would put together a bag with all-weather clothing, boots, a flashlight, food, important documents, and valuables. Gee said he does have easy access to important documents, but nothing else is ready to go.
“Why would it hurt us to have that bag ready to go?” Ursula asked. “Keep it in your basement, keep it in your garage, or better yet, keep it in your car.”
For more information on how to prepare for a wildfire, visit firewise.org.
Watch the full discussion in the video above.
Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.
