Deployed Yuma firefighters return from Calif. blaze

The four city of Yuma Fire Department firefighters who deployed earlier week to help with a California wildfire returned home Thursday evening.

The four firefighters — fire Capt. Erik Lohman, fire engineer John Metha, firefighter Alvin Luedtke, and firefighter Jose Huizar — were notified late Thursday morning that they were being demobilized as of about 11 a.m., and began the process to make their trip back to Yuma.

Yuma’s firefighters, working as a part of an Imperial Valley Task Force, first left for assignment to the “Mias” fire at about 11 p.m. on Monday.

The fire is burning in an area near Banning, Calif., approximately 200 miles from Yuma. As of last reports Thursday morning the fire was 85 percent contained.

It broke out around 3:45 p.m. Monday on the northeast edge of the Mias Canyon and blackened roughly 600 acres as it burned toward the Morongo Indian Reservation.

The flames were not immediately threatening homes or other structures, initially burning medium to heavy vegetation in the rural area.

According to the Riverside County Fire Department, the fire was sparked when a tree branch, weighed down by a bee hive, fell onto power lines.

Yuma firefighters worked 24 hour shifts protecting homes in their assigned areas. They were part of an effort involving nearly 300 firefighters, along with 3 helicopters, 7 air tankers, 5 water tenders and 3 bulldozers.

Lohman, Metha, Luedtke and Huizar will return to their regular duty assignments after taking some time off.

The last time YFD personnel were deployed with a strike team or task force was last month to the “Detwiler” fire near the town of Mariposa, Calif.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@ yumasun.com or 539-6854. Find him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.