Arizona firefighters help out with other state wildfires as monsoons ease back home

PHOENIX - Monsoon season has calmed wildfires in Arizona, but in other parts of the west, many are suffering from record-breaking fires.

Firefighters in places like Washington, California, and Montana continue to fight raging fires and dozens of crews from Arizona have headed over to help them.

It's a way to say thank you to out-of-state crews that have came to Arizona to help crews battle wildfires in the past.

Less than a month ago, fire crews were busy fighting fires in northern Arizona that consumed thousands of acres. Weeks later, after monsoon storms dumped rain on much of the state, crews turned their attention to other states where massive wildfires are burning.

John Truett, an Arizona State Fire Management Officer, is helping out in Missoula, Montana.

"The monsoons have really helped us there in the state with the amount of moisture we had," he said.

He's one of about 40 personnel assigned to other wildfire-ravaged states including Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

In California, where Truett was just a few days ago, he says it's been much worse. 
There the massive Dixie Fire continues to rage, burning more than 210,000 acres.

Truett says for him, fighting wildfires is pretty much a year-round job. He plans to move from location to location to help out those who need it most.

"They helped us out in the last few months so we're just helping them out now," he said.

Truett says whether or not we get a lot of rain in the next couple of weeks will determine the outcome of the fall fire season in Arizona.

This story was reported from Phoenix, Arizona.

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