Bigger Threat, Smaller Force

By Jeffrey Ressner

With wildfire season starting, concerns are mounting in the Western states that fire fighters could be overmatched. Last July alone, 40,000 acres were destroyed from eastern San Diego County to Yosemite National Park. This summer, experts say, the destruction could be even worse, with the Pacific Northwest suffering its worst drought in 28 years and record winter rains in the Southwest growing lots of grass, which can fuel flames when the grass dries out.

One fear is that too many National Guard troops trained to fight wildfires have been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. About half of Montana's 3,500 Guard troops are in Iraq, and Governor Brian Schweitzer recently asked that they be returned temporarily because his state "is potentially facing a fire season of historic magnitude." The Army denied his request, replying that it would instead train and certify other Guard troops "in minimal time" to prepare for potential emergencies. "The Pentagon just dismissed us," Schweitzer told TIME. "I might have better luck visiting the Blackfoot, Crow and other tribal nations here and asking them to do a rain dance."

Equipment is also a concern. Last year 33 large air tankers were available for hire by the Federal Government to douse flames with water and fire-retardant chemicals. Because of crashes and other malfunctions, just 10 tankers are now active, and only seven are considered safe enough to fly over populated areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. A U.S. Forest Service executive says there are alternatives to the tankers, including 88 smaller, single-engine planes and 700 helicopters ready for action, if needed. If not, there are always those rain dances. -By Jeffrey Ressner