Active-duty military firefighters arrive to help fight Idaho wildfires

Brady Caskey, KIVI

BOISE (KIVI) – Over 250 active-duty subject unit landed astatine nan National Interagency Fire Center Saturday to thief conflict wildfires burning successful nan Boise and Payette National Forests.

The firefighters travel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord and will beryllium assisting pinch occurrence suppression efforts for up to 30 days.

The state is presently astatine a National Preparedness Level of 5, nan highest level possible, which intends that firefighting resources are heavy committed.

The subject firefighters will statesman their first time connected nan occurrence lines Monday, Aug.19.

“What you spot present is nan mobilization of progressive work subject from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. They’re present to assistance america pinch Wildfire efforts successful nan authorities of Idaho,” said Ben Newburn, nan Regional Fire Director for nan Intermountain Region of nan US Forest Service.

Newburn says periods of utmost occurrence activity — for illustration we’re seeing successful Idaho now — leaves section resources difficult to travel by.

“Right now we find ourselves successful nationalist preparedness level five. Within nan geographic area, we’re besides astatine preparedness level five, which intends we’re short of firefighters,” Newburn said. “We’re uncovering our resources stretched alternatively bladed and truthful this influx from nan subject will thief america summation containment connected our existing fires and let america to besides reside immoderate early fires we whitethorn spot successful nan adjacent week aliases two.”

National Preparedness level 5 is nan highest level possible, which intends that nationalist firefighting resources are heavy committed. Newburn tells maine that’s erstwhile nan Forest Service often reaches retired to nan subject for firefighting help.

“The Department of Defense has a long-standing narration pinch nan nationalist forests and it’s been going connected since Yellowstone fires backmost successful 1988,” says Colonel Camelia Orzech, nan Idaho State Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer pinch nan U.S. Army.

These work members who will conflict Idaho wildfires person been thoroughly trained by crews astatine NIFC.

“Soldiers are ever ready, truthful we’re present to thief and make judge that nan residents of Idaho enactment safe and sphere immoderate of our nationalist resources,” says Orzech.

“The mobilization of of this half battalion from Joint Base Lewis-McChord will some thief america spell firefighters that are already retired connected nan line, get them much-needed clip disconnected earlier they spell backmost into nan occurrence fight, but they will besides augment our consequence wherever we person captious needs connected nan occurrence line,” says Newburn.