Service News

Battles forest fires

Army Cpl. Jared Opheim of Flora is one of more than 500 soldiers from Fort Lewis, Washington, who have responded to the National Interagency Fire Center's request for military assistance in battling forest fires in that state.

He was deployed with Task Force Blaze to battle the forest fires in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Winthrop, Wash.

Task Force Blaze received two days of field training before beginning to actively fight the fires on Aug. 17. They will be deployed for up to 30 days.