Pennsylvania firefighters head to Minnesota to help battle wildfires

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is sending a crew of wildland firefighters to Minnesota to help suppress wildfires contributing to heavy smoke.The team is departing from the Camp Hill area shortly. Minnesota’s National Guard has been assisting in the firefighting efforts in the state’s Boundary Waters region. Using Black Hawk helicopters, the National Guard has been working for several days to slow the fires’ growth from the air, allowing ground crews to focus on containment. “We’re the crew in the back, and we’re going to be releasing the water.” Jonathan Erickson of the National Guard said. “A lot of times the pilot just can’t see what’s directly below him, so we’ll guide them in for what we call spot drops and also for line drops.” “This is what we join for—an opportunity to do something and to have a positive effect,” Tyler Syvertson added. “When we’re flying into these fires, you’re flying over populated areas and seeing the positive effect you’re having for these communities.”

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is sending a crew of wildland firefighters to Minnesota to help suppress wildfires contributing to heavy smoke.

The team is departing from the Camp Hill area shortly.

Minnesota’s National Guard has been assisting in the firefighting efforts in the state’s Boundary Waters region. Using Black Hawk helicopters, the National Guard has been working for several days to slow the fires’ growth from the air, allowing ground crews to focus on containment.

“We’re the crew in the back, and we’re going to be releasing the water.” Jonathan Erickson of the National Guard said. “A lot of times the pilot just can’t see what’s directly below him, so we’ll guide them in for what we call spot drops and also for line drops.”

“This is what we join for—an opportunity to do something and to have a positive effect,” Tyler Syvertson added. “When we’re flying into these fires, you’re flying over populated areas and seeing the positive effect you’re having for these communities.”