Burning US states call in troops to help

Washington Post

19 Aug, 2015 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Firefighter Colby Lyon assists in a back-burning operation near Chelan in Washington state. Photo / AP

With seven Western states battling devastating bushfires, the National Interagency Fire Centre is mobilising active duty US soldiers to aid thousands of firefighters in their efforts.

Troops have not been used to fight bushfires since 2006.

There are approximately 95 large bushfires burning over 445,155ha in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada and Colorado, according to the centre.

The centre's Aitor Bidaburu said it was "committed" to suppressing "the most challenging wildfires we've experienced in several years".

The Department of Defence is sending 200 active soldiers from the army's Joint Base Lewis-McChord air base in Washington to be trained before they combat the massive bushfires this weekend.

CNN reported that 25,000 firefighters were working to suppress the flames, having evacuated more than 1000 people from the affected states. Almost two dozen fires are blazing in Washington state.

"They came quick, they came hot and heavy and then the winds kicked up and it was just unstoppable," said David D'Armond, a Chelan, Washington, resident. D'Armond's house was saved by authorities, but many residents were not as fortunate.

In Chelan, about 32 homes were destroyed, authorities said, with the number expected to rise to between 50 and 75 structures, commercial and residential.

Norma Cervantes said she drove home from work in Chelan thinking "it was a little fire", but then "it started spreading and spreading and the wind got faster and faster". She said people could not tell where the fire was heading as the wind shifted one way and then another.

Information from the National Wildfire Co-ordinating Group's website InciWeb reported that more than 22,865ha in southeast Washington was ablaze. Six helicopters were providing water drops, crew shuttle and reconnaissance while two other aircraft provided water and retardant drops when needed.

Teams from the Washington Department of Natural Resources, State Fire Marshal and Army National Guard were engaging the fires, according to the group.

Bushfires have overwhelmed more than 8457ha of California's Sierra National Forest, according to the group. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation notices to people in Black Rock Reservoir, east of Pine Flat Lake in the Sierra National Forest.

Authorities are concerned that strong high pressure over southern California will bring warmer and drier conditions to the fire. They expect fire could potentially occur towards the Kings River and go east towards the Monarch Wilderness.

The fires burning more than 2300ha of land near California's Whiskey snowmobile area were 95 per cent contained, Cal Fire said. The fire there continues to cool, but authorities expect some areas may produce smoke for several more days.