» Thai and U.S. guardsmen jointly train to fight wildfires

Members of Washington State’s National Guard and the Royal Thai Army conducted a week-long joint training session in northern Thailand on fighting wildfires, as forest fires in both countries have been increasing partly as a result of climate change.

The joint training was the second such event since the guard and the army established a relationship 20 years ago. The wooded mountainous terrain of the Pacific Northwest is similar to the hilly forested regions of Thailand’s far north.

“The Washington National Guard Wildland Firefighting Exchange Team is hopeful that this builds relationships and opportunities in the future,”…