Wyoming Sends Strike Team to New Mexico to Fight Wildfire

A strike team of firefighters from Wyoming has been sent to New Mexico to help with fires. Two large fires in New Mexico have displaced families from their homes. Like Wyoming, New Mexico, experienced an historic fire season in 2012.

The strike team consists of crews and firefighting equipment from Albany, Natrona and Washakie Counties along with a strike team leader from the Wyoming State Forestry Division.  The Wyoming team is based in the Rio Rancho area of New Mexico on a patrol assignment. The team is prepared to move quickly to active fires in the northern part of New Mexico and will be there for approximately two weeks.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez personally thanked the strike team from Wyoming and teams from other states today. “Governor Mead of Wyoming and I have a great working relationship, and I appreciate his willingness to help New Mexico with these valuable resources. I’m also appreciative to Governor Kitzhaber of Oregon and Jack Dalrymple of North Dakota,” Governor Martinez said.

Wyoming residents should plan ahead and prepare their homes and property against the threat of wildfire again this year. The 2013 Wyoming fire season is forecasted to be normal, typically the fire season in Wyoming is most severe in July and August.