Last Thursday morning I was going to a business meeting next door to the Shasta Fairgrounds in Anderson. I came across more firetrucks and fire vehicles than I had ever seen in one place, and it dawned on me, “This is the base for the firefighting.” Duh.
As soon as my meeting was over, the curious little boy in me had to find out more about these firetrucks and what was going on at the Incident Command Post. For the next 30 minutes I was given an informal briefing on fighting these massive fires that have been burning for two weeks. I came away overwhelmed.
First, the effort is like a military operation. The ICP turns Fusaro Hall into a bustling action center. The walls are covered with maps and charts, and the 50 tables lining the big room are staffed by black-and-tan-uniformed Cal Fire personnel scanning reports and more maps, joined by other firefighters from various departments, supported by the sheriff’s department from the affected areas. Radios and phones are going off, and the general atmosphere is one of tension and excitement. It became obvious very quickly that this entire effort was extremely well organized and that all the components involved in the firefighting were working together in the most professional and cooperative ways possible.
So what are the components that make up an operation like this one, called the Shasta and Trinity Lightning Incident?
It starts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. It’s the largest fire department in the state and the second-largest in the United States. Cal Fire firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year, its own statistics say. Cal Fire firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. It serves as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. Cal Fire firefighters respond to many forms of calls, including structural fires, auto accidents, earthquakes, floods, hazardous materials spills and every conceivable disaster.
A total of 1,840 Cal Fire personnel are assigned to this incident. They function in everything from the ICP to the crews directly working the fire. Almost all these folks come from outside our area, some from as far away as San Diego and Washington state, and for the duration of the fire, the fairgrounds become their home away from home. Many stay in tents scattered around the fairgrounds and others stay in local hotels. If you wonder why we have had some “no vacancies” at local hotels recently, this is part of the answer.
Each morning and evening, private contract services provide complete meals, and each firefighter is given a bag lunch that has to hold them until they return for dinner, sometimes as late as 8 p.m. Those in the hotels patronize local restaurants and stores as time allows, so we see them around town in the evenings or when they are on break. Days off are not part of the job description during the Incident.
The number of vehicles, along with the fuel used, which is purchased locally, changes from day to day as the situation demands, but as of this week, 225 fire engines, 54 water tenders, 56 dozers, nine helicopters, four fixed-wing planes and 20 hand crews are involved. In addition, National Guard helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, along with a Army National Guard bulldozer team, are assisting. At least 20 local, state, national and private agencies are part of this operation. The cost of the effort is huge, as is the entire undertaking… an understatement.
I was impressed. Until now, I had only heard and read about how homes were saved, how fire crews would start one fire to stop another and how the planes assisted ground crews. Now I appreciate so much the organization and planning that goes into the effort to protect our land and our lives. Thanks to all. We owe you a big one!
Ron Largent is a Realtor, business owner and longtime Redding resident. He can be reached at ronlargent@yahoo.com or ronlargent.yourkwagent.com.
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