After battling wildfires in Oklahoma for 14 days, four Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) wildland firefighters returned to Alabama on Friday, March 30. The AFC is a member of the ‘Southeastern Fire Compact’ with the forestry agencies of 12 other southern states, an agreement which provides mutual aid in fighting forest fires. When any one of those states has wildfires that exceed their capacity, they can call for assistance by activating the compact. This agreement authorizes the AFC to send crews out of state for help with wildfire suppression, and it would also enable the Commission to call for support from sister states if Alabama faced such a wildfire emergency.
To qualify for these details, each firefighter must meet the highest quality standards of wildfire training and physical fitness. Crew members from the AFC volunteering for this Oklahoma assignment included: Rickey Fields, Baldwin County; Lester Williams, Geneva County; Jeff Owens, Butler County; and Jason Berry, Walker County.
To learn more about the Alabama Forestry Commission, visit www.forestry.alabama.gov.