SPRINGFIELD – A group of wildland firefighters from Illinois have returned from Colorado after battling the largest in that state’s history. The 139,000 acre Pine Gulch Fire used assistance from the 21-person crew made up of U.S. Forest Service, Shawnee Resource and Conservation District and The Nature Conservancy employees. They used chainsaws and other equipment to remove trees and brush that could provide fuel for the fire and dug fire lines around buildings in harm’s way.
“I am grateful to our Illinois Wildland Fire Crew for their dedication and willingness to assist others during time of need,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. “Our crew received high marks for their professionalism, experience and training during their deployment. Their presence on scene was very much appreciated.”
All expenses were covered by the U.S. Forest Service through an agreement with the IDNR Division of Forest Resources.
“The entire wildland fire crew is grateful to Director Callahan for supporting the state’s efforts to render assistance to other states, even in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Tom Gargrave, fire crew chief and regional IDNR forester. “Not only were we able to render assistance to another state, but the training and experience our crew has gained will help us do a better job managing fire for ecological management and to protect others in the event of wildfires.”
Illinois Crewmembers include:
IDNR
Tom Gargrave – Forestry
Dave Griffith – Forestry
Ben Snyder – Forestry
Jenny Lesko-Forestry
Jim Tresouthick-Forestry
Bear Enbring-Forestry
Paul Bane-Forestry
Rich Lewis – Realty and Capital Planning
Ray Geroff – Natural Heritage
Nick Bumgarner – Land Management
Steve Letizia-Land Management
Kayla Alexander-Land Management
Kyle Burkwald- Realty and Capital Planning
Adrian Walker- Grants Management
U.S. Forest Service
Grace Wu
Curt Martin
Hanna Hagarty
Jon Yeater
Hayden Brown
The Nature Conservancy
Nathan Speagle
Shawnee RC&D/USFS
Jacob Hess
