Flathead firefighters to battle deadly California fires

BILLINGS (AP) — Seventy-three Montana firefighters are traveling to California to help battle the deadly wildfires there.

The firefighters come from 17 agencies, including some in the Flathead Valley, and are traveling to northern California in 20 engines. They were expected to arrive Monday night.

Jake Ganieany with the state Disaster and Emergency Services agency tells The Billings Gazette the firefighters will stay for two weeks, including Thanksgiving.

Evergreen Fire Department Fire Chief Craig Williams is heading up a strike team from the area that includes firefighters from Evergreen, Bigfork, Marion, Bull Lake and Corvallis.

Other firefighters are coming from Missoula, Butte, Livingston and several smaller towns along with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Disaster and Emergency Services.

The crews were requested Saturday under an Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which allows states to request help from other states. Ganieany said they left on Sunday. California will pay their costs.

The Camp Fire in northern California has killed at least 29 people.