Sue Vap: Military can ease strain on fighfighters

(CNN) -- Active military personnel, including Marine and Army battalions, were called up Friday to assist more than 20,000 firefighters who continue to battle dozens of raging fires throughout the Northwestern United States.

As of Friday, raging fires have scorched more than 500,000 acres in 10 states. Authorities' biggest concern is Oregon, where nearly 300,000 acres have burned so far.

Sue Vap, director of fire management for the National Park Service, joined CNN by phone from Boise, Idaho, on Friday to discuss the increase in efforts to extinguish the wildfires.

CNN: We know that some areas are getting the help of troops but not all of them and not all at once. Is this going to be enough to ease the strain on firefighters?

VAP: This should make a big dent in the resource shortage that we have by getting military assistance, and two of the states that we are very concerned about are Washington and Oregon. We believe at this point in time that we are going to be sending the military to Washington.

CNN: I heard a Portland official quoted as saying the most important thing they need is this manpower issue addressed.

VAP: Well to have enough personnel to go on the fire is very critical, so we are gearing up to train military and to have them in place where resting crews (are) as they come off of other fires and then getting ready to ship them to the most critical areas that we have to work right now.

CNN: Can you describe the conditions that the firefighters are working under? I know they are working 14- to 16-hour shifts.

VAP: That is correct. It's very hot, and it's very dry. We have very little humidity recovery so whether they are working during the day or in the night, it's just very hot and dry.

Today it's probably going to be a little bit more windy. ... It's smoky and it's dirty (there). We do everything to provide good food, good kitchens, good showers and decent sleeping areas so that they can work hard and have a very good place to rest.

CNN: Can I turn your attention to issues of prevention? We know people will be talking about this after this terrible season. The president has been talking about a plan that will give states and local authorities more authority in terms of fire prevention and in fighting fires. How important do you think that is?

VAP: Oh, it's very important. We would like to have the states sitting at the table with their federal partners and everyone talking together about what can be done to decrease the fire danger surrounding their communities and people's personal houses, because there are lots of things to do, and if you do it in concert, you have a much better chance of accomplishing it and maintaining it.

CNN: Thanks for you time, Sue Vap.