More firefighters are packing up and joining 13 other North Dakota firefighters in Oregon.

Crews from Minot and Bismarck Fire Departments left Tuesday and will be gone until October 1st, fighting wildfires to our west.

The eight men stopped at the North Dakota Forest Service in Bismarck to pick up equipment that they’ll need.

They’ll join Williston, Fargo and Grand Forks as part of a task force that will help with structural assessment, post-fire, and 911 calls.

“We kind of look at it like it as an honor that they came to us and asked for our help and that we actually get to go out there and you know serve their communities and help them out,” Minot Fire Department Captain Casey Meadows said. “And we’re looking at it the same way — if we were to have something in our community they would do the same for us,” Meadows said.

The other three teams left for Oregon Monday and it’s possible that even more North Dakota firefighters will be mobilized in the coming days.