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Some Alaska firefighters head to Lower 48 to assist combating blazes

Anchorage Fire Department Fire Engine (Photo by Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage)
Anchorage Fire Department Fire Engine (Photo by Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage)

Some of Alaska's firefighters are headed to the Lower 48 to help with blazes ranging from Washington to New Mexico. The state's Division of Forestry said they are retaining enough resources to respond to any fires in Alaska.

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So far this year, the fire season has been quiet. On average, 1.2 million acres burn every year. As of Tuesday morning, fewer than 340,000 have seen wildfire damage. Most of the current fires are in remote, drier parts of northeast Alaska.

Anne Hillman is a behavioral health clinician working in rural Alaska. Before going back to school for her Masters of Social Work, she covered social justice issues for Alaska Public Media and ran the multimedia and arts project Mental Health Mosaics with Out North.