A relatively milder wildfire season in the Northwest has allowed Washington firefighters to be sent elsewhere.
This week, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources dispatched 69 more wildland firefighters to Alaska to help fight the record-breaking wildfires there. This season, DNR has sent nearly 200 firefighters to Alaska to provide resources and support.
Alaska has experienced hot and dry conditions this summer with very little rain, and winds have also made it difficult to suppress the 683 fires that have occurred so far, burning more than 2.5 million acres. DNR crews in Alaska are helping to suppress the Swan Lake Fire, Deshka Landing Fire, and McKinley Fire.
In Washington, DNR has responded to more than 1,000 wildfires, and 129,000 acres have burned. (DNR)
