"Border Patrol said it verified the identities of 44 people on the site after the Bureau of Land Management ended contracts with their employers." 

"HOODSPORT, Wash. — Two firefighters working on the Bear Gulch Fire were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Wednesday.

The incident stemmed from a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) criminal investigation that resulted in BLM terminating work contracts with two private companies, Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc.

BLM asked U.S. Border Patrol agents to verify the identities of personnel at the site near Lake Cushman, to ensure they matched contractor rosters, according to Border Patrol. 

Border Patrol verified the identities of 44 people. Two of those people were in the country illegally, one of whom had a previous order of removal, according to Border Patrol."

Bridget Chavez, Sharon Yoo, and Helen Smith report for KING5 August 28, 2025. [2]