Firefighters Work Across Boundaries
Monongahela firefighters work a fireline in the George Washington and Jefferson NFs
Firefighters from the Monongahela share skills and gain experience while helping out adjacent National Forests.
Monongahela National Forest firefighters crossed the artifical boundaries separating both forests and regions in the spring of 2008 as they provided assistance on numerous prescribed and wildfires. Located mostly in Virginia, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests also contain small acreages in West Virginia.
Partly because the boundaries adjoin in some places, and partly because there are ecologicial similarities to parts of the two Forests, staff from the Monongahela and the GW-Jeff have cooperated over the years on many projects.
The GW-Jeff has a much larger prescribed fire program than the Monongahela, and tends to have more and larger wildfires, so having MNF firefighters available to assist is valuable. In addition, Monongahela firefighters gained experience without having to travel great distances.
Firefighters from all over the Monongahela assisted the GW-Jeff on 4 wildfires, totalling 9,400 acres. The fire assignments ranged from overhead staff only to a full 20 person crew plus engine and ARGO. Overhead positions provided to the GW-Jeff included Safety Officer (SOF2), Incident Information Officer (PIOFt), Staging Area Manager (STAM), Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3t), and three members of the Southern Area Type 2 Team: an Ordering Manager (ORDM),an Incident Information Officer (PIO2t), and an Equipment Manager (EQPM).
A request for an additional 20 person crew had to be turned down as the mountains in West Virginia were receiving heavy snow and travel in those conditions was deemed too dangerous.
Firefighters from the Monongahela were able to provide their neighbors to the east with assistance on 4 prescribed fires in the GW-Jeff this spring. Sixteen MNF people provided a total of 28 person days on 6,255 acres of controlled burns. One of these was of particular interest as it was the first time the GW-Jeff had a prescribed fire that involved private lands and structures inside the burn area. All burns were deemed successful by the GW-Jeff staff and they were quick to thank and recognize the help from the Monongahela.
Given the increasing training requirements in the fire organization and reduced funding for travel and training, these assignments were just as valuable for Monongahela folks as they were for the recipient Forests who were able to stretch their own resources.