Press Releases
07/10/2026
DEEP Coordinates Deployment of Wildland Fire Crew to Support Oregon Wildfire Efforts
Crew Includes 19 from Connecticut and 1 from Rhode Island, Mobilized Through the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact and Northeast Coordination Center
(HARTFORD) –Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Forestry Division coordinated the mobilization of a 20-person wildland firefighting crew to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Oregon.
The deployment was organized in coordination with the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact (NFFPC) and the Northeast Coordination Center, and included 19 members of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew (CIFC) and 1 member from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The crew departed from DEEP’s Eastern District Headquarters in Marlborough early this morning July 10th, 2026.
This deployment marks the first crew assignment for CIFC members this wildfire season.
Crew members include a mix of full-time DEEP staff and trained “call-when-needed” wildland firefighters who are certified to national wildland firefighting standards. All crew members volunteer for these assignments and have received training in wildfire suppression tactics, safety, and incident command.
"These deployments not only provide critical assistance to the communities in Oregon, they also give Connecticut's wildland firefighters invaluable real-world experience that strengthens our own preparedness here at home," said Acting DEEP Commissioner Emma Cimino. "We are grateful to every firefighter who volunteered for this assignment, and we wish them a safe and successful deployment as they support the wildfire response efforts in Oregon."
DEEP’s Forestry Division coordinates the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew, for which it maintains a roster of agency staff members and private individuals, many of whom are associated with local fire departments and have been certified to fight wildfires. Crew members must complete a rigorous training program and participate in an annual physical work capacity test and refresher training.
Connecticut maintains this firefighting capability to participate in a reciprocal aid program operated by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Under this program, trained personnel from other states and countries are available to assist Connecticut in the event of a fire emergency or other natural disaster, in return for Connecticut's support when needed. The importance of this partnership was demonstrated during our historic fall 2024 wildfire season, when firefighters from various states and Quebec, Canada, arrived to assist in the response to the Hawthorne Fire in Berlin and countless other fires that started during that time.
All state agency expenses directly associated with these deployments are reimbursed to the State in full by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service.
More information on the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew.
More information on the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.Communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110