DOVER, Del.  — Delaware’s wildfire crew returns to the First State this week after wrapping up a successful two-week assignment fighting blazes in Idaho’s Panhandle National Forests region.  The crew is scheduled to be back at Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna on Thursday, August 23, at approximately 6:00 p.m.

The Delaware Forest Service dispatched the team of 20 wildland firefighters to Montana on August 4 and the crew was immediately sent to northern Idaho to fight the Copper Mountain Fire, situated on the Canadian border. While there, the crew stayed in the somewhat primitive conditions of “spike camp” and ate MRE’s (meals ready-to-eat). This past week, the crew battled the Cougar Fire, a 5,880-acre blaze burning in steep rugged terrain located approximately 5 miles east of Hope, Idaho. The fire was only 26% contained as of August 22. The National Fire Preparedness Level remains at 5 on a 5-point scale. The Incident Management Situation Report for August 22 shows that 105 active incidents are now burning a total of 1.85 million acres. There are currently 513 wildfire crews on assignment, along with 1,387 engines and a total of 25,583 personnel committed.

For more information, contact Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Wildland Fire Program, at 302-698-4548, or kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov 

Twenty wildland firefighters from Delaware are part of 137 personnel battling the Copper Mountain Fire, a 180-acre blaze located four miles east of Eastport, Idaho on the Canadian border.  Michael A. Valenti of Dover, Delaware’s state forester and crew boss for the team, reports that “firefighters are working in rough terrain and completing very long hikes to and from the fire each day.” The crew is staying in the relatively primitive conditions of a spike camp near the incident and eating MRE’s (Meals Ready-to-Eat). A “spike camp” is a remote camp near a fireline that lacks the logistical support of a larger fire camp, such as catered meals and hot showers.

The Copper Mountain Fire is a lightning-caused blaze burning in timber that started on August 2. The fire is only 20% contained as of August 13 and is being managed by a Type 3 incident management team led by Rod Weeks. Firefighters are continuing line construction on both flanks of the fire and attempting to hold existing line. Fire officials are also coordinating with the British Columbia Wildfire Service on suppression efforts.

For more information on the Delaware wildfire crew, contact Kyle Hoyd, kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov, 302-698-4548.