The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has announced that 100 wildland firefighters from across Mexico will be coming to help with suppression efforts in California.
After a welcome ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, the firefighters will receive some training before they are deployed to help battle the Castle Fire within the Sequoia Complex (SQFComplex).
The SQF Complex, is made up of the Castle and Shotgun fires, both started by lightning on August 24th.
Since 1962, the USFS has formed a long standing partnership with Mexico in the area of fire management.
USFS officials say Eduardo Cruz, the current director of CONAFOR (National Forestry Commission of Mexico), spent one season as a helitack firefighter in the Sequoia National Forest early in his career as part of the training and exchange program.
“I am very excited for this unique opportunity to visit a station I worked and trained at as a young man and to bring with me firefighters from Mexico to aid in the California firefighting effort”.
Currently, 23 large wildfires are burning across California and 8,300 wildfires have burned over 2.5 million acres in the state this year.
Firefighters from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. military are now helping contain fires across the state.
Since 1962, the USFS has formed a long standing partnership with Mexico in the area of fire management.
USFS officials say Eduardo Cruz, the current director of CONAFOR (National Forestry Commission of Mexico), spent one season as a helitack firefighter in the Sequoia National Forest early in his career as part of the training and exchange program.
“I am very excited for this unique opportunity to visit a station I worked and trained at as a young man and to bring with me firefighters from Mexico to aid in the California firefighting effort”.
Currently, 23 large wildfires are burning across California and 8,300 wildfires have burned over 2.5 million acres in the state this year.
Firefighters from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. military are now helping contain fires across the state.
