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Lower 48 wildfires cause Alaska firefighters to head over and help

Alaska News Nightly by Alaska Public Media

More Alaska firefighters have gone to the lower 48, as wildfires in western states there intensify.

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State and federal firefighting agencies in Alaska report that five, twenty person crews were flown south Wednesday. They’re joining over 15 hundred people battling the Pioneer Fire in Idaho.

The agencies report that 2 dozen Alaska smoke jumpers and four crews, were earlier deployed to the lower 48. Alaska firefighting aircraft have also been going south, including helicopters, water and retardant dropping planes.

Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.