Texas Forest Service assists with wildfire suppression in Virginia

A multiple agency wildland fire handcrew has been deployed to assist with wildfire suppression in Virginia.

The group, which includes five firefighters from Texas Forest Service, was deployed July 1 to help tackle Virginia’s Neighbor Mountain Wildfire.

Also included on the team are workers from the U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Personnel are trained in digging containment lines with hand tools and will assist with the fire burning in Shenandoah National Park. According to InciWeb.org, the Neighbor Mountain Wildfire has burned 827 acres since it ignited June 26.

“The wildland fire response community is always standing ready to assist one another," said Mark Stanford, Texas Forest Service fire chief, in a press release. “Today Texas gets the chance to help one of the states that came to our aid last year.”

During 2011, more than 16,000 emergency responders from all 50 states assisted Texas with wildfire suppression efforts.

Wildland firefighting resources are ordered through a national system that tracks available personnel and equipment to be quickly and efficiently mobilized for emergency response.