Western Wildfires: Pentagon Sending in the Troops
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Western Wildfires are still burning, and now you can add arson to the list of problems facing firefighters. Fatigue and wind also remain the worst enemies, at least for now. Here's the latest, fire coordinators in 13 states where major fires are burning now hope forecasts of cooler weather will bring relief, but the weather remains unpredictable, so much so in fact that Idaho's governor extended the state of emergency for another month. And, in South Dakota, the National Forest Service says it believes man and not nature started a blaze that grew to more than 62,000 acres. Meantime, 500 fresh firefighters join the battle lines this morning. Our Greg Lefevre has their story.</s>GREG LEFEVRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With more fires burning than available firefighters to put them out, the Pentagon is sending in the troops. Five hundred fifty soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky went into training on the Valley Fire Complex in western Montana. They will be assigned, just as civilian fire crews, in teams of 20.</s>SGT. MAJ. KENNY ADAMS, U.S. ARMY: With these military teams broken down as small as they are, I think these crews can be very effective in a lot of different roles.</s>LEFEVRE: They join more than 16,000 firefighters already on the Western fire lines. Training started in Fort Campbell, with additional instruction here. The soldiers will learn how to operate Forest Service water pumps.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be using ear plugs all of the time.</s>LEFEVRE: And chain saws and hand tools.</s>ADAMS: Out here, we are being trained by the firefighters, but our noncommissioned officers are insuring that the soldiers have the right equipment, at the right place at the right time.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here to help the nation in any way we can, and I think it is good that we can come out here and help support the firefighters.</s>ADAMS: Our soldiers are physically fit, they've got strong backs, but they've never fought fires before. And yet, this training is paramount, you know, for these soldiers to get out there and safely help isolate and contain these fires.</s>LEFEVRE: The soldiers will be under the individual command of their military officers with operations directed by the U.S. Forest Service. (on camera): The soldiers will be followed by more Army troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Marines from Camp Lejeune. In all, 2,300 military are expected on fire duty in the next two weeks. (voice-over): The men and women will most likely start with mop- up duties, a job now considered critical. With winds and lightning reigniting so many fires, no fire is considered out unless it is cold.</s>LEFEVRE: Now the Clinton administration has also instructed the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior to bring in some civilian help as well, middle managers, we understand, will be assisting the field operations in this place and others around the West, and that will free up more trained firefighters to head to the front. Leon, back to you.</s>HARRIS: Well, Greg, these fires have been burning out of control for so long now. At some point, don't they run out of forest out there to burn?</s>LEFEVRE: You would certainly think that. The situation is this, that, of course, there is plenty of forest, but many of the fires, in particular the Scalcoho (ph) fire, which is just to the east of us here, is beginning to turn back onto itself. There are so many fires in so many places, some of them are beginning to run into each other. And while they're not considered officially contained, a lot of these fires are now burning back into what they call black areas and perhaps extinguishing parts of themselves -- Leon.</s>HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks much, Greg Lefevre reporting live this morning. Be safe out there.