Central Coast fire crews assisting with wildfires throughout California

Local firefighters are pitching in to help as Cal Fire battles wildfires in other parts of the state.

From Santa Cruz County, there are two strike teams assisting with the fires in northern California.

San Benito County has a Cal Fire strike team at the Lodge Complex Fire in Mendocino County, and Monterey County has sent two strike teams from North Monterey County, the Peninsula fire departments and as far south as Fort Hunter Liggett to help battle the blazes.

Cal Fire said the Monterey County- San Benito County local departments are at what they call their draw down level–keeping them from sending any more resources.

Each fire department has its own draw down level based on the size of that fire department — so obviously the larger departments are able to send out a little bit more resources and then the smaller ones.

Cal Fire says the fire chiefs of each department are in constant conversations about staffing levels locally to see where they might be able to send more help.

At the Hollister air attack base, they’ve played more of a back-up role — sending air tankers to Sonoma County and Grass Valley to cover that area while their own air tankers are off fighting the different wild fires.