Do

Do City firefighters fight Wildland fires?

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Permalink Reply by rfdjumper on March 22, 2009 at 2:07pm

Yes. We have 2 mountains (more like hills) that flank the city. If there is a brush fire, we fight it.

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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on March 22, 2009 at 2:19pm

Here wildland fires start mostly by unattended burn piles.

I can see one starting by an old lady smoking in her trailer house, leaving her lit cigarette on top of one of the dozen empty beer cans sitting on her sofa while she uses the outhouse. When she re-opens the sh*t house door the trailer is engulfed along with three old cars in the yard. When she returns from the beer store she calls the FD. By then the woods are on fire endangering her sister's trailer next door where is is living now. Her sister makes her smoke the outhouse. TCSS

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Permalink Reply by John L. VanAuken on March 22, 2009 at 3:11pm

I belong to a rural fire dist, in witch we are trained in both, structure and wildland. So I guess it would depend on the areas the depts are in. For instance, though never been there New York City firefighters, may or may not ever see a true full rangeland or forest fire. As to a more rural dept would see everything from, a hay stack fire to poss wildland related fires. I have even seen a grain field fire act just like a wildfire given the right weather conditions, I have seen flames on those get as high as 15 feet or more. So yes given the right sercumstances, I would say structural firefighters could be called to a wildland related fire, and any training on proper firefighting tacticts in wildland firefighting would not hurt.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on March 22, 2009 at 3:20pm

City Fire Departments - Located with the boundaries of the city limits. If they have brush in their district or adjacent to the city limits, then they will have equipment and training to deal with wildland urban interface fires.

County Fire Departments - Located outside of the city limits, in unincorporated areas. Very much a part of both wildland and structural firefighting. It is not uncommon to call these department All-Risk because they handle everything that they encounter.

USFS / BLM - Located in wilderness areas / federal lands. After the Espinosa Incident, USFS firefighters are no longer involved with structural firefighting ops.

I know that this is not all inclusive but it's a start to help you gain an understanding...

and just for the record, pictured above is Type I Structural Firefighting engine that carries wildland hose packs that attacked and kept a wildland fire down to 1/2 acre because of quick response and an aggressive attack...

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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on March 22, 2009 at 3:40pm

A fire fueled by heavy brush and strong winds raced up a series of Mission Valley canyons on June 30, 1985. The Normal Heights Fire destroyed 76 houses and damaged 57 others. Heavy brush in the canyons and around the houses on the canyon rim propelled the fire. Firefighters eventually overcame the flames despite problems with low water pressure from water hydrants. Damage was set at $9 million. The Normal Heights fire pushed the City of San Diego to establish several initiatives including a weed and brush abatement program, an educational campaign for canyon rim residents and a plan to improve water pressure in the mid-city area.

This fire was basically in the geographical center of the City. Right across the fwy from where the Chargers play. During High wildland conditions now, both a wildland and structural strike team are dispatched. Hit it hard and fast.

This was one of those days I worked my birthday. ALL personnel were recalled because of this fire.

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Permalink Reply by Deanna on March 22, 2009 at 4:58pm

I know our city fire department, and a lot of the other city departments do. They come and mutual aid on big scenes. Some of them don't have brush trucks, but they do carry blowers and rakes.