On September 1, the fifth 20-person wildfire crew DCNR’s Bureau of Forest will deploy this year to help fight wildland fires is headed to Colorado.
Pennsylvania wildfire personnel are or have served in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Wyoming.
DCNR has also deployed two of its wildfire fighting engines along with its four person team as well as other individuals on specific assignments for a total of 133 personnel.
The fourth DCNR crew is still deployed at the Woodward Fire on the California Coast just north of San Francisco.
On August 15, DCNR reported its first two 20-person wildfire crews sent to Wyoming and California to fight wildfires returned to Pennsylvania completing their deployment with no major injuries and no COVID-19.
The third 20-person wildfire crew sent to Wyoming returned on August 20.
The first crew deployed to Wyoming on July 16, the second crew to California on July 25, the third to Wyoming on August 2 and the fourth crew on August 19.
Last year DCNR was called to send two 20-person crews, two wildfire fighting vehicles, 20 individuals as single resources for a total of 74 personnel.
When states and agencies need assistance, Pennsylvania wildland firefighters may be called upon, by virtue of mutual assistance agreements, to assist.
Pennsylvania firefighters are trained and qualified under national wildland standards to function either as a member of an organized incident management team or as a member of a wildland crew.
Firefighters are required to carry their own tent and sleeping bag to fire camp. In order to be assigned to the fire, firefighters must be equipped with flame resistant clothing (such as Nomex), leather lug-soled boots, hardhat, leather gloves, eye protection and a fire shelter before being allowed to work on the fire-line.
For more on wildfires in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s Wildfire webpage.
NewsClips:
[Posted: August 31, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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