The U.S. Army and its Northern Command is keeping some troops at home to hopefully prevent forest fires. As requested by the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center, the Northern Command is preparing to deploy about 200 soldiers in the Pacific Northwest to make fire spreading more difficult in heavily wooded regions susceptible to the heat (see image above).

Northcom’s joint force land component, the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, will oversee military activities in support of federal and state fire prevention efforts in the Pacific Northwest. 

The 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington, has been notified of the upcoming mission. The soldiers, who completed initial wildland firefighter training with the U.S. Forest Service in July, will undergo additional specialized training at JBLM prior to deploying.

"Our soldiers are well-trained and ready to respond quickly and effectively to assist in protecting people, property, and public lands," said Army Brig. Gen. Jerry E. Baird Jr., U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command deputy commanding general. "This mission underscores our unwavering dedication to the defense support of civil authorities’ mission."

The additional training will be conducted by a highly experienced cadre and will cover firefighter safety, fire-suppression methods, and the proper use of personal protective equipment. Once fully prepared and deployed, the soldiers will serve as hand crews, constructing fire lines and conducting line-holding actions under the direct guidance of experienced civilian wildland fire crew bosses.

The War Department has been a key wildland firefighting partner for decades, providing unique capabilities and resources to the national response effort.