Ohio crews helping fight wildfires in Utah and Texas

COLUMBUS — A 20-person Ohio wildfire crew from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources left July 6 to help fight the Dollar Ridge Fire in northeastern Utah.

A second ODNR wildfire crew consisting of three people and one wildfire engine left Ohio July 13 to assist wildfire suppression efforts in Sweetwater, Texas.

“Ohio’s wildland fire crew assigned to Utah is working to fight a human-caused wildfire located just southwest of Duchesne, Utah,” said Robert Boyles, Ohio’s state forester. “Our engine crew will assist the Texas Forest Service in fighting new fire starts in a high-fire danger area in western Texas.”

The ODNR Division of Forestry trains ODNR, federal and private natural resource agencies, as well as fire department personnel from across the state, for inter-agency wildland fire detail and emergencies to protect life and property in Ohio; manage prescribed fire for forest regeneration; and to provide assistance to other states as part of the national effort.

Crews and overhead staff are normally dispatched out-of-state for two-week assignments. Travel and wage costs are reimbursed by requesting agencies.

Last year, Ohio’s wildfire and engine crews responded to southern wildfire assignments in Georgia, Arizona, New Mexico and Montana.