Due to the extreme fire danger and record breaking drought in most of the Southwest, the Maine Forest Service Incident Management Team (IMT) has been mobilized to West Texas. The Maine IMT, under the command of Southern Region Forest Ranger Lt. Jeffrey Currier, is working with a US Forest Service NIMO (National Incident Management Organization) team that has also been managing wildfires in Texas for several weeks.
Both teams were requested by the Texas Forest Service to provide extended attack support for large wildfires and relieve the local firefighters, who have been overwhelmed with nearly 13,500 fires since February. So far in 2011, over 3.3 million acres have been burned and 2181 homes and structures lost due to wildfire.
Since the IMT arrived on June 30th, the hot / dry weather and isolated “dry” lightning storms have started dozens of small fires. Fortunately, these fires have not exceeded the capability of the local firefighters. The Maine IMT is using this time to update their mapping and communication capabilities, attend Texas Forest Service briefings and prepare for a short-notice mobilization within Texas. The team is poised to any contingency present by the Texas Forest Service.
Once the local officials request the team to take control of a large wildfire, the Maine IMT will use their experience and leadership skills to manage the incident. The political system in Texas is quite different from Maine. Working with the county judges and sheriffs, as well the fire chiefs and local volunteer firefighters can be very challenging. As a means to meet this challenge, the Maine IMT has recruited Washington County Sheriff Office’s Deputy Chief Michael St. Louis, who will function as the liaison officer. As a Liaison Officer, St. Louis will be responsible for interfacing with local county government, law enforcement and emergency management official to facilitate team operations. His experience in law enforcement and emergency response make him a significant asset to the IMT.
Nine members of the Maine IMT are currently in Texas helping manage large wildfires.
