2 Westport Firefighters Battle Wildfires in Grand Tetons

WESTPORT, CT — Two local firefighters are part of a 20-person interstate fire crew from Connecticut called to help battle wildfires in Idaho, according to Westport officials.

Westport firefighters Michael Kronick and Robert Yost are using vacation and personal time while on such out-of-district deployments. Kronick has been on numerous similar deployments, most recently to Northern California in 2015, while this is Yost's first such mission.

The Connecticut crew joined crews from Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, which were all requested by the Great Basin Fire Coordination Center in Salt Lake City, UT. The center is managing 11 separate fires, burning approximately 180,000 acres, across several areas in the western United States.

Westport officials said the Connecticut crew is currently assigned to the Black Fire in the Black Canyon drainage on the Palisades Ranger District in Idaho.

"We are very grateful that Westport has the capacity to lend a hand in fighting these devastating fires," said Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and Fire Chief Andy Kingsbury in a joint statement. "We wish our crews, and all the brave crews involved in these dangerous efforts, a safe and speedy return."

Photo: Westport firefighters Mike Kronick, left, and Robert Yost. Photo credit: Town of Westport, Contributed