Watching wildfires devastate parts of Grant County is not just heart-wrenching. It should serve as a harsh reminder of what could happen here.

The fire danger remains high in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest with extremely dry conditions continuing for some time. The Eagle Complex fire near Medical Springs already has prompted evacuations in that area.

Making matters worse is a shortage of firefighting resources. With nearly 100 wildfires raging over 1 million acres in seven Western states, crews and tankers are stretched thin. More than 200 active-duty military troops have been called in to help exhausted state, local and U.S. Forest Service fire crews.

The smoke lingering over Wallowa County should prompt all of us to revisit family and business emergency plans. In the event of an evacuation, what would we take with us? How quickly could we gather it up? What are the escape routes? Where would we stay?

The Chieftain’s sister newspaper in John Day is in the heart of that catastrophe. As they work to save their own homes and belongings from the Canyon Creek Fire, the Eagle staff is reporting on the scene: the intense heat, stiff winds and stifling smoke. The cost to that small community to date is staggering. Some 26 homes burned beyond recognition, leaving families displaced with few or no possessions.

Amid the wreckage, however, is the enduring spirit of a small community. As the Eagle wrote in an editorial this week:

“We can take heart that this is a community noted for its caring and resilience. It is proving that with an immediate and growing outpouring of goodwill. Fund-raising efforts are multiplying online to help those left homeless. Local businesses are collecting donations of goods and money. The Fairgrounds has set up “shop” to provide free goods for fire victims to help patch them through an unbearably tough time.

“People not touched by the fire are looking at their homes and realizing they have much to share: clothing, furnishings, even school supplies for children facing a new school year amid bewildering loss. Individuals are stepping up with everything from pop bottle collections to art auctions, and the credit union is working on a plan for a fund that will be locally run and locally targeted to help all the fire victims, without the overhead that marks some large organizations’ efforts.

“Animals also are sharing the love: The veterinary clinic and area ranchers have offered hay and pasture for livestock, and animal advocates here and as far as Pendleton and Baker City have offered food and supplies to help displaced pets.

“As we write this, the fire continues to flare and spread in the hills outside Canyon City. Across the county, signs are popping up to give thanks to the firefighters risking their lives to battle the blaze. Some of those firefighters and contractors are our neighbors, relatives and friends; they labor even as their own homes and property may be at risk or lost.”

We’re confident that Wallowa County would rise to the occasion should — God forbid — we face disaster of that scale.