U.S. Forest Service Cancels DCNR's Keystone Crew Deployment To Sugarloaf Wildfire In Wyoming; Crew Returning To Await Another Assignment

On July 27, the U.S. Forest Service canceled the deployment of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources's 20-member Keystone Wildland Fire Crew to the Sugarloaf Wildfire in Wyoming.

They are returning to Pennsylvania to stage for another assignment.

This was the first wildfire fighting crew DCNR has sent this season to help fight fires in the Western U.S.

The Sugarloaf Wildfire was first reported on July 25 and has so far burned over nearly 400 acres in rocky, inaccessible forested terrain in the Medicine Bow National Forest.

Airplanes and helicopters have been heavily used to try to contain the fire as well as Smokejumper teams.

Albany County has issued evacuation orders to ranches, campgrounds and parks in the area.  Read more here.

For the latest information on the wildfire, visit the U.S. Forest Service Sugarloaf Fire Incident webpage.

Background

When states and agencies need assistance, Pennsylvania wildland firefighters are called upon, by virtue of mutual assistance agreements, to help.

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.

In 2021, DCNR sent six Wildland Fire Crews to assist with fighting fires in other states, along with a DCNR incident Management Team and firefighting equipment.  Read more here.

Click Here for more on the crews.

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

U.S. Forest Service Wildfire Public Information webpages and AP Wildfire stories webpage for more information.

  For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

(Photos: U.S. Forest Service.)

[Posted: July 26, 2022]  PA Environment Digest