Pateros residents are in need after dozens of homes burn

PATEROS, Wash. — The small town of Pateros in central Washington lost dozens of homes to wildfires this summer and could be without electricity for up to one month.

The need for donations from toiletries to medicine to food to water is great.

"We're only asking for stuff that we really, truly need," said assistant fire chief Keith Zweigle.
 
Water is desperately needed.
 
"We're asking for cases at a time," said Zweigle.
 
On Saturday night, a barbeque at Pateros High School had a purpose.
 
"The whole community got together and emptied fridges out because there's no power in our town," said Jared Henton, who was grilling chicken.
 
Nearby, people charged their cell phones by generator outside the gym.
 
Inside, volunteers sorted donations like medicine, toiletries and clothing.
 
KIRO 7 watched a group of people leave the barbeque and sprint toward a hotspot near a home still standing. Our cameras were rolling as they poured water from bottles and shoveled dirt to put the hotspot out.
 
"Pateros is a big family. We all might have different last names, but we're all still a family," said Justin Carrington.

KIRO