Delaware firefighters on the move battling western wildfires

Twenty Delaware firefighters are being deployed to another fire scene in Colorado, halfway through their scheduled “tour of duty.”

The firefighters with the Delaware Forest Service departed June 24th.  They are now dealing with a wildfire known as the Pine Ridge fire, about 13 miles northeast of Grand Junction, Colorado.  The blaze has scorched more than 13,000 acres, as crews battle not only the flames, but also 90-degree heat and tinder-dry conditions.  Lightning sparked the fire on June 27th.

Earlier, the Delaware group battled the Weber Fire in southwestern Colorado.  They volunteered for the assignment and were expected to be out west for two weeks.  Many of them are with volunteer fire companies in Delaware and underwent specialized training in how to fight wildfires earlier this year.