DCNR Wildfire Fighters Joining Crew Headed To Fight Wildfire In Wyoming

On September 25, a squad of six DCNR wildfire fighters will be joining squads from Maryland and Delaware to help the fight the Mullen Wildfire in Wyoming.  Crews from the US Forest Service and National Park Service in the Mid-Atlantic region are also joining the effort.

The Mullen Wildfire has burned over 19,526 acres and is only about two percent contained.

Pennsylvania wildfire personnel are or have served in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Wyoming this fire season.

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 166 personnel.

In addition to the six traveling to Wyoming, there are still 27 individuals deployed in the Western United States on other assignments.

The first crew deployed to Wyoming on July 16, the second crew to California on July 25, the third to Wyoming on August 2, the fourth crew to California on August 19 and the fifth crew to Colorado on September 1.

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.

Click Here for more on the crews.

For more on wildfires in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s Wildfire webpage.

NewsClips:

AP: Wildfire Coverage In U.S., Around The World

[Posted: Sept. 25, 2020]  PA Environment Digest