B.C. wildfire fighters to assist with several Washington state blazes
September 17, 2012 - 12:40 PM
VANCOUVER - British Columbia is sending firefighters to Washington State to help battle five large wildfires burning south of the border.
B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch says 103 people are travelling to Washington State and could remain there for up to 19 days.
They'll join 3,500 firefighters from Washington and Oregon working on blazes including a complex of fires near Wenatchee, east of Seattle, that covers more than 114 square kilometres and is only 10 per cent contained.
The deployment marks the sixth time this year that B.C. has sent wildfire fighters out of province.
Fire Information officer Melissa Welch says as many as 500 firefighters remain in B.C., enough to respond to any fires that may break out in this region.
She says members of the B.C. contingent can be recalled from Washington State at any time, if they are needed. (The Canadian Press, CHNL)
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012