Military Mobilizes to Fight Northwest Fires: Army Troops and Air Force C-130s Join Battle

With national firefighting resources stretched to their limits, the federal government is turning to the U.S. military for help in the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 250 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers are mobilizing to support wildland firefighting efforts across Oregon and Washington, the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) announced Friday, July 31.

Why the Military?

The United States is currently at Preparedness Level 5 — the maximum alert level — indicating that national firefighting resources are heavily committed and nearing exhaustion. More than 90 large wildfires are burning across the country simultaneously, with more than half concentrated in Oregon and Washington alone. Commercial fire crews, federal hotshot teams, and state resources are all fully deployed, leaving the NMAC with no choice but to request Department of Defense support.

"The United States has been experiencing above-normal fire activity, which will likely continue. These conditions are creating competition for all types of wildland fire resources," said Chuck Russell, NMAC Chair. "In order to meet current demands, we are working with the U.S. military to activate additional fire suppression resources. We appreciate the U.S. military for their assistance in protecting lives, property, infrastructure and critical cultural and natural resources."

Training and Deployment Timeline

Before deploying to active fire lines, the 250 Army soldiers will undergo intensive wildland fire training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, including:

Classroom instruction on basic wildland fire suppression principles and firefighter safety
Field exercises in fire line construction
Chainsaw operations training
Personal protective equipment fitting and training

Training is expected to conclude by Friday, August 7. Once deployed, soldiers will build fire lines and conduct line-holding operations under the supervision of experienced wildland fire strike team leaders and crew bosses. A similar military deployment was utilized during heavy fire activity in 2024.

Air Power: C-130 MAFFS Aircraft

Ground crews aren't the only military asset in the fight. Four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) are currently providing aerial firefighting support across the Pacific Northwest. The MAFFS units allow standard military transport aircraft to be rapidly converted into air tankers capable of delivering retardant drops along fire perimeters.

Idaho National Guard Already Deployed

At the state level, Idaho Governor Brad Little's July 29 disaster emergency declaration for Owyhee County authorized deployment of the Idaho National Guard to support operations on the Big Grass Fire — the nation's largest active wildfire at more than 303,000 acres. Guard members are assisting with logistics, transportation, and direct fire suppression support.

International Assistance

The NIFC July 30 situation report also noted that crews from Australia and New Zealand have been assigned to support large fire operations in the Northwest Area, reflecting the severity of the situation and the extent of resource sharing under international wildfire assistance agreements.