Tribal firefighters returning after helping in California

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Firefighters from nine Oklahoma Indian tribes are to return tonight from helping fight California wildfires.<br><br>The nine crews with 20 firefighters each were sent by the US Forest

Wednesday, November 5th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Firefighters from nine Oklahoma Indian tribes are to return tonight from helping fight California wildfires.

The nine crews with 20 firefighters each were sent by the US Forest Service last Friday to help fight the Old Fire near the San Bernardino Mountains.

CJ Norvell of the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma and Arkansas says the California fires are now contained. She says the tribal firefighters will return to the Fort Smith, Arkansas, airport on flights arriving at 7:30 and 8:15 tonight.

Tribes sending firefighters are the Seminole, Pawnee, Kiowa, Cherokee, Apache, Caddo, Chickasha, Choctaw and Comanche.