Yuma firefighters deploy to assist in latest Calif. wildfire
The City of Yuma Fire Department has sent a strike team to help battle the “Creek” fire, which is burning in the Angeles National Forest near San Fernando, Calif.
Spokesman Mike Erfert provided information indicating that at about 1:30 p.m. YFD received a mutual aid request from Cal Fire regarding a task force deployment. Within an hour an engine truck and four firefighters left Yuma to meet with other members of an Imperial Valley task force.
Prior to leaving, an engineer and four predesignated firefighters certified for wildland firefighting assembled at Fire Station No. 1 and loaded their fire engine with the equipment they needed.
According to Erfert they are prepared to be deployed with the task force for up to two weeks.
The area where the fire is burning is approximately 300 miles from Yuma. The fire is reported to have burned 11,000 acres, and at last report there were 400 personnel assigned to the fire.
A task force usually con- sists of a group of firefighting apparatus and a team leader drawn from one of the various departments.
A team will normally stay together through their deployment, and due to the equipment and training, YFD personnel are expected to be used for structure protection duties.
Little information is available at this time about the Creek Fire, and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
The last time YFD personnel were deployed with a strike team or task force was earlier this year in July to the “Detwiler” fire near Mariposa, Calif.