Richardson Campaign Press Release - Governor Richardson Sends Additional Team of 16 Firefighters to Southern California

(Santa Fe, NM)-- Today Governor Bill Richardson dispatched an additional sixteen New Mexicans and five fire engines to fight the continuing wildfires in Southern California. One New Mexico State Forestry fire engine, two Santa Fe County fire engines from Hondo and Agua Fria, and two Bureau of Indian Affairs engines from Zuni and Ramah will make up a Strike Team of Type 6 fire engines. A Type 6 fire engine is specifically designed for combating wild land fire.

"New Mexico firefighters were on the California fire-line this morning," said Governor Bill Richardson. "Today, we continue our response to help a neighbor in need, by sending an additional team of firefighters to Southern California this evening."

The Type 6 strike team of sixteen firefighters will depart this evening and be deployed for fourteen days. Yesterday, forty-two New Mexican firefighters left from Albuquerque and were on the fire line this morning.

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management continues to coordinate the state's participation in the California wildfire deployment and to monitor the need for addition resources necessary. DHSEM has been working closely with New Mexico State Forestry and the Southwest Coordination Center. New Mexico State Forestry assembled the strike team, who will be mobilized through the national wildfire coordination system. DHSEM and Forestry continue to respond to a request by the California Office of Emergency Services to review the availability of fire teams.