For the first time since 2006, active-duty military personnel are being mobilized to assist with wildland firefighting. The National Interagency Fire Center announced the mobilization today, with roughly 95 large wildfires burning about 1.1 million acres in seven western states including Idaho. Aitor Bidaburu, chair of the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, called the current situation “the most challenging wildfires we’ve experienced in several years.” NMAC requested the Department of Defense to provide 200 active-duty military personnel to join the firefighting ranks; the request was immediately approved, and the soldiers are being mobilized from Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma.

After a four days of training – conducted in part by the BLM’s Vegas Valley Crew, which is comprised entirely of military veterans – the soldiers are scheduled to join the fire lines on Sunday.

NIFC reports that active-duty military personnel have been mobilized to serve as wildland firefighters 35 times since 1987. Currently, states including California, Washington and Oregon have mobilized National Guard troops to help with wildland firefighting. That hasn’t occurred in Idaho, however, where much of the state’s National Guard is currently in California for a major training exercise at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin. More than 2,500 Idaho Army National Guard soldiers are participating in the training exercise from Aug. 7-27.