This week dozens of Kansas Air and Army National Guardsmen and woman go through training.
Fifty-three ground, 12 air and six water tender guards, have their hands tied this week, preparing themselves for fighting wildland fires.
“This came about after the 2016-2017 major wildland fires that we had, the Anderson Creek fire and also the Starbuck wildfire,” said LTC Larry Leupold, director of military support for the Kansas National Guard.
The Kansas National Guard wants to better assist local agencies when major wildland fires break out.
“Anytime we have a big fire, our local fire departments have limited resources,” said Leupold. “So, anytime the National Guard and our interagency partners can bring additional resources, it really helps get after the fire and get it under control quickly.”