The Nampa Fire Department and the Boise Fire Departmenthave deployed teams throughout the west this wildfire season. Nampa Fire, along with crews from Parma, Kuna and Sand Hollow, fought fires near San Francisco for 23 days. But their work didn’t end there.
“As our crew returned into town on the 12th of September, we received another urgent request from Oregon," said Nampa Fire Department Chief Kirk Carpenter.
Carpenter said this is the first season his department has participated in the interstate wildland deployment.
It’s a tricky balancing act to continue serving the Nampa community while local firefighters are being sent to the front lines in other states.
Carpenter said the COVID-19 pandemic makes this balancing act even more challenging.
“If we have one staff member, whether it's they're showing symptoms or they were just exposed, that takes out the whole crew and puts them in quarantine," he said.
Two Nampa firefighting crews are currently deployed at the Oregon-California border, helping fight the Slater-Devil Fire. Chief Carpenter expects them to return next week.
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