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Local firefighters join Southwest battle By AYISHA YAHYA Mail Tribune Two hundred Rogue Valley firefighters jetted to New Mexico Wednesday to join a nationwide battle against wildfires raging in the Southwest. The local firefighters were contracted by the National Interagency Coordination Center. The Medford Interagency Center, a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, facilitated their deployment. According to the BLM's Mike Hannon, acting assistant manager of the Medford council, the firefighters left for Albuquerque at noon and at 6 p.m. Wednesday. "When an area like the southern area has a lot of fire activity, it overwhelms their resources," Hannon said. Crews then contact the national office for reinforcements from throughout the West. The 10 20-person crews consist of firefighters from Medford, Ashland, Eagle Point and Jacksonville. Hannon said they are expected to stay in New Mexico for two weeks, though they may continue working if the fires get worse. "We really don't control their tactics. There is a commander who puts them to work as they see fit," Hannon said. Several fires are eating their way through the Southwest. Two new fires were reported in New Mexico Tuesday. The Penasco fire in the Lincoln National forest near Cloudcroft has consumed about 800 acres and showed no signs of containment. The Washington Fire in northwest Albuquerque had consumed about 150 acres Tuesday night. The largest fire in the West is the Ryan Fire near Patagonia, Ariz., which since Monday has gobbled up about 32,000 acres of land and is only at 5 percent containment. Firefighters were trying to keep the 14-mile-long, 3-mile-wide blaze away from Huachuca City as it burned about one and a half miles outside the small town. Several companies in the Rogue Valley contract out firefighters, who are paid between $25 and $30 an hour. They must receive training and certification like other firefighters. The local BLM and Forest Service also use the contracted crews during prescribed fire season. Hannon said none of his agency's firefighters were sent to the Southwest because they had just completed winter and spring projects and others are still in training. Reach reporting intern Ayisha Yahya at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.