HELENA, Mont. – Members of the Montana National Guard were mobilized on Friday to support crews currently battling wildfires across the state of Washington, following an executive order issued by Governor Greg Gianforte.
“As the state of Washington and the City of Spokane face unprecedented wildfires, Montana is joining the nearly two dozen states sending resources to support fire response efforts,” Gianforte said. “Deploying these resources will not compromise our ability to respond to any current fire activity in Montana and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation remains ready to continue executing an aggressive initial attack on all fire starts.”
The governor’s office noted that amid the significant presence of wildfires in Washington state, reports estimate that more than 700 structures have been destroyed and roughly 65,000 people displaced in the city of Spokane alone.
On August 11, a Montana Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook Heavy-lift helicopter, along with its crew and one maintainer, will be dispatched to Washington to provide assistance with fire suppression operations.
“Montanans understand the devastating impact wildfires can have on communities, and we’re proud to support our neighbors in Washington during this critical time,” Brigadier General Trent Gibson, Adjutant General of Montana, said.