TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that an additional 24 wildland firefighters from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service will join an interagency federal hand crew of firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assist wildfire suppression efforts in western states. This deployment brings the total to 91 Florida Forest Service firefighters battling western wildfires.
“After selflessly battling one of the worst wildfire seasons in Florida history, our Florida Forest Service firefighters will help protect other parts of our country from wildfire,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Today, the National Interagency Coordination Center will fly the state and federal firefighter crews from Tampa to Salt Lake City, Utah, where they will receive assignments according to priority and fire activity. Crews will potentially be sent to Utah, Montana, California and South Dakota.
“Florida Forest Service firefighters have proven their bravery and ability time and again when fighting Florida’s wildfires,” said Jim Karels, State Forester. “They are exceptionally well-trained and know how to suppress wildfires aggressively and safely.”
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more atFloridaForestService.com.
