Thirteen wildland firefighters from New York State have returned home after two weeks assisting with wildfire containment efforts in Colorado, Utah, and Washington. The group, led by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers, included staff from DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests.
A 10-person crew was deployed to the San Juan National Forest in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. One additional Forest Ranger supported firefighting operations at the South Rim fire in Colorado. Two other Forest Rangers were sent to help contain fires in Utah and Washington.
Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged the work of the team upon their return. “New York is always ready to lend a hand when other states need our help,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re fortunate to have some of the best trained wildland firefighters in the country, so when there’s trouble out west, New York’s wildland firefighters are ready to jump into action and I am so pleased to welcome them back safely.”
The South Rim fire in Colorado has burned more than 4,200 acres and is now more than half contained. In Pagosa Springs, crews worked at elevations between 7,000 and 9,000 feet as they responded first to several lightning-caused fires. The Deer Creek fire near Moab, Utah increased from nearly 16,000 acres to over 17,700 acres but is now 95 percent contained. The Pomas fire in Washington remained under 3,500 acres with minimal growth during the deployment.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton commented on the scale of this year’s wildfire season and New York’s role: “Looking at the vast number of wildland fires across the U.S. and Canada, there is a growing need for both trained and expert firefighters on the ground, as well as people working to prepare, organize, and strategize efforts behind the scenes. I am proud to say DEC deployed a Crew Boss, Safety Officer, Heavy Equipment Boss, and Food Unit Leader to support the much-needed and varied response efforts critical to a successful wildland fire response. DEC welcomes the July crews back safely home and thanks these firefighters for their continued efforts to support wildfire missions in western states.”
The returning crew included Evan Donegan (Heavy Equipment Boss), Robert Praczkajlo (Crew Boss), Kenneth Binder, James Canevari, Jamison Martin, Russell Martin, Dylan McCartney, Jason Scott, Michael Thompson, Luke van der Veur, Timothy Yeatts (all from either Lands and Forests or as Forest Rangers), Michael Burkholder (Food Unit Leader), and Lt. Timothy Carpenter (Safety Officer). Another firefighter was recently sent from New York to Oregon for further wildfire suppression support.
Since its first deployment in 1979 sending a crew westward for large-scale wildfires,New York typically sends one or two teams each year when needed by other states or federal agencies. In addition to helping suppress fires elsewhere,these assignments give valuable experience that can be used during emergencies within New York. Expenses related to travel or personnel are covered by federal funds or reimbursed through mutual aid agreements.
