250 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord join Idaho wildfire-fighting effort

BOULDER FIRE, BOISE NATIONAL FOREST – Up since 5 a.m., U.S. Army First Lt. Andrew Harvey’s cheeks and yellow fire-resistant shirt are streaked with ash as he walks a grid pattern along the fire line, searching for any signs of heat.

It’s Harvey’s first time fighting a real wildfire, and he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

Harvey is one of 250 active duty U.S. Army soldiers who arrived in Idaho last week to help fight five wildfires that are burning in and around the Boise National Forest.

Collectively, the West Mountain Complex fires have burned more than 30,000 acres, threatened structures and mandated the closures of highways, forest service roads, trails and popular recreation areas such as Warm Lake.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/08/26/250-u-s-army-soldiers-from-lewis-mcchord-join-effort-fighting-idahos-west-mountain-complex-fires/