CAL FIRE provides resources to U.S. Forest Service while they help Canadian fires, staffing levels helping fight fires locally

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) - CAL FIRE crews in our surrounding areas are getting ready to see some relief in the form of shorter work week.

“As of July 1st, we have over 12,000 firefighter positions in CalFire," says John Byrne, CAL FIRE Assistant Chief.

It's a strategy that aims to retain firefighters who have a grueling job. CAL FIRE is changing up their system to get more people in uniform.

"Our firefighters are making around $100,000 a year. we have an increase in staffing for CAL FIRE," says Bryne.

Over the past week, there have been two fires a day between Monterey and San Benito Counties

Despite the heavy work, being fully staffed has been critical to stopping these fires.

"Most fires, we've kept less than ten acres. A few of them went a little bit larger than that. But just having having our men and women rested and having good responses and having good responses, good communication, early detection of the fires has really made a difference," says Byrne.

Although CAL FIRE is not providing recourses to help battle the Canadian fires.

The U.S Forest Fire Service locally was able to send recourses to Canada, with help from CAL FIRE.

"We did send equipment or resources over to Canada, that if we did have anything locally, that CalFire is, you know, spot on with giving us assistance, whether it's engines, aircraft or whatever, it's just a matter of what's available," says Ivor Demanty, Battalion chief for the Monterey District of the Los Padres National Forest