Local firefighters return from battling fires across California

Dozens of firefighters are back home after responding to fires across the state. Some 50 fire personnel from our area responded to the Corrine Fire burning in Madera County. Another 15-20 went down south to the Park Hill Fire in San Luis Obispo County.

The Park Hill Fire is one of seven major wildfires burning in our state right now. It has scorched some 1,800 acres since starting on June 20. Crews should have it fully contained by Wednesday night. Local firefighters from the Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District went down to help the firefight. They returned home on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, local Cal Fire crews returned to the area. They were at one of three fires burning in Madera County. The Corrine Fire has burned 920 acres. Cal Fire BEU Fire Captain Arron Young says that fire posed many challenges.

“So as the fire was progressing up the hill,” Capt. Young said, “it would send embers out. I think we actually got a spot a mile ahead of that fire. It was really hard to contain with the temperatures, the humidities and the fire behavior we had.”

During that fire, he was with hand crews, made up of local inmates. They would hike to areas where dozers and trucks couldn’t access and would build lines around the fire. This Cal Fire team was one of several from the state. Cal Fire crews from Santa Clara County also responded. They’re now on standby in Amador County just in case another fire breaks out. Unfortunately, it could happen soon.

“It’s typical for the summertime conditions out in that area to reach triple digits and low humidities,” Capt. Young said. “And sometimes we don’t get the starts but we are starting to get the starts. So, fire activity is definitely picking up.”

Fire crews are going to be paying close attention to the weather this week. Some parts of the state are expected to reach temperatures between 90-100 degrees. That, on top of the dry conditions and low humidity could spell a disaster.