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Oregon firefighters dispatched to Carolinas as wildfires rage through hurricane-hit areas


Oregon firefighters dispatched to Carolinas as wildfires rage through hurricane-hit areas (Photo Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry)
Oregon firefighters dispatched to Carolinas as wildfires rage through hurricane-hit areas (Photo Courtesy: Oregon Dept. of Forestry)
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26 Oregon firefighters have been sent to help battle the ongoing blazes in North and South Carolina.

More than 6,000 acres have been burned with much of the affected area in places recently devastated by Hurricane Helene.

This is the second time this year a fleet of Oregon firefighters have been sent to help other states following devastating fires in California in January.

Oregon Dept. of Forestry says this kind of help is part of longstanding mutual aid agreements between states across the country.

"It creates an expanded cache of reciprocal resources," explains ODF’s Jessica Neujahr. “We're able to help them during their times of need, and in return, they are hopefully able to help us during our peak season when our resources are strained."

An example of this was during last year's wildfire season. North Carolina had sent a full incident management team to help aid in fighting some of the wildfires in Oregon - namely the Lane 1 Fire Complex south of Eugene.

But the assignments in places other than Oregon serve a purpose beyond just helping those in need and returning a favor.

"It teaches them new techniques that they might not have learned before from different firefighters,” says Neujahr. “And if anything, if they know everything when they get there, if anything it just helps them to buff up their skills prior to our fire season and come into our peak season prepared."

These assignments are set to last roughly two weeks.

If help is still needed after that, officials in the Carolinas can request an extension.

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