Local fire departments helping battle massive Carr Fire in Northern California

Central Coast firefighters are helping out with massive battle against the devastating Carr Fire in Northern California.

“Right now, we currently have one of our engine companies with four personnel on that Carr Fire and they are committed to a 14-day assignment,” said Santa Maria Fire Chief Leonard Champion.

The Santa Maria Fire Department is just one of many local agencies that are assisting in the effort to put out the 10-day-old fire.

After starting on July 23, the Carr Fire has grown to more than 115,000 acres, putting it as the 6th largest wildfire in California history. It’s also killed six people and destroyed more than 1,100 structures.

Champion said in addition to four firefighters, the department has also sent two battalion chiefs to the fire. It’s part of California’s Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid Plan.

Whenever a large wildfire breaks out, local agencies have the ability to pull and borrow from others to help out.

While fire departments will send out crew and equipment to incidents around the state, and sometimes even out-of-state, they are also committed to keeping their service area staffed properly.

“We will commit as much as we can, but always keep in mind that we have duty here to our community and that we’re not going to get beyond to a point where we can’t provide daily coverage for the City of Santa Maria,” Champion said.

Cal Fire San Luis Obispo County currently has about 60 personnel assisting other fires around California, including approximately 10 at the Carr Fire.

On Wednesday, the department received a call asking if it could send one of its resources the public may not typically think of as a tool to combat wildfires.

“This morning we were requested to send a fire boat to the Carr Fire,” said Cal Fire public information officer Chris Elms. “(It will) assist with operations in and around Lake Shasta.”

Elms said the boat is used at Lake Nacimiento and is based at Heritage Ranch Station 33.

“It has a fire pump on it, a monitor nozzle and some basic firefighting gear that we can engage both fires on the water, we can respond to medical aids on the water with it, we can also utilize it from the water onto the land if absolutely necessary, so it has a couple of capabilities,” Elms said.

Elms said it’s known exactly how the boat will be utilized until its on scene and receives operations orders.

In addition to the boat, Cal Fire also sent two firefighters with it.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a fire engine, a bulldozer, a hand crew, or a boat in this situation, Cal Fire has the ability to go out and pull those resources and everybody in the California state fire service comes together to deal with these situations,” said Elms.

Once deployed, firefighters working mutual aid can be gone as long as 14 days and work shifts lasting as long as 24 hours.

After two weeks, crews can return home and may be replaced if needed.

“We will send a replacement crew to go out and relieve those four individuals so that they can come back home and then those four new firefighters will then begin their 14-day clock and stay as long as needed,” said Champion, referring to the Santa Maria crew at the Carr Fire.

Champion said he keeps in touch with personnel out-of-the-area as much as possible. He added he’s been able to speak with crew in Shasta County.

“Reports are that they’re making progress, work is hard,” said Champion “They’re working 24 hours, so that can be challenging, so reports are there is good progress, but it’s been slow, not as quick as they were hoping.”

As for the Cal Fire boat, Elms said it will be temporarily replaced by an older boat. The replacement vessel will remain at Heritage Ranch until the other boat returns from Shasta Lake.

“It could be a day,” said Elms. “It could be another week or so, it just really depends on the weather up there and how they’re able to contain that fire.”