IN THE LINE OF FIRE

An in-depth look at wildfire preparedness and those who stand in harm’s way

Story and photos by Josh Stotler

Photo:  flames race up hillside off Highway 94 in Dulzura

June 12, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- As the longer, warmer days of summer approach, San Diego braces for an all too familiar phenomenon: wildfire. According to Cal Fire, eastern San Diego County experiences an average of 192 wildland vegetation fires per year, burning 5,843 acres -- and that number is increasing with each new season. Thankfully, 95% of these incidents are contained at 10 acres or less, a target that local and state fire agencies strive to uphold. The thought of wildfire often strikes fear in the hearts of those who live in our backcountry and urban interface, where rural areas meet urban ones. This zone grows larger every year, as San Diegans build further and further into the eastern parts of the county.

When it comes to wildfire, it is important to be alert, informed and prepared. This article will help answer some important questions as well as introduce you to some of the agencies and resources that make San Diego one of the most prepared places on earth when it comes to wildfire.

Photo, right:  tanker stands ready at the Ramona Air Attack base

It’s late afternoon.  It’s hot, dry and there is a slight Santa Ana wind blowing through the treetops. A hint of smoke wafts through a neighborhood just off Interstate 8 in East County. It’s not long before a plume of smoke is hundreds of feet high and can be seen for miles. Calls to 911 start to pour in as residents realize something is terribly wrong. An ember from a poorly extinguished campfire has blown into a grove of pine trees. The ground is thick with dead needles and a fire is born. Bark beetles have destroyed the water-starved trees, turning them into the perfect vehicles to spread a growing fire; tall brush is abundant from the unseasonal rains that spring brought -- the perfect recipe for disaster.

Alarms ring at a local fire station. Dispatch alerts firefighters of a “vegetation initial attack”, the first round of units sent to a fire. Once incident command is established, the fire will be “sized up” as location, acreage, fuel level and rate of spread are relayed to dispatch. Often, the initial attack units will be able to handle a small, slow-moving fire with minimal fuel. That’s not the case here. The incident commander calls in a large fire located in steep foothills covered in heavy fuel with a fast rate of spread. Alarms go off all over the county as engines, brush units, hand crews, attack aircraft, bulldozers and law enforcement personnel are dispatched to the scene. All of these assets are carefully coordinated and assigned to aggressively attack the fire and establish a containment perimeter.

Photo, left: SDG&E helitanker makes water drop in the early stages of the Border Fire

We see the trucks responding to these fires, lights flashing and sirens blaring. We hear the helicopters overhead, making trip after trip with water drops. A clip of firefighters, their faces black with soot, might get a minute or two on the news, but who are these people? Who is protecting San Diego’s East County from the flames? I had a chance to interview and shadow a few of the units that work day in and day out to keep us safe. Here are some of the resources that will be battling wildfire in San Diego County this season.

CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE is one of the largest firefighting agencies in the nation. At peak staffing the San Diego Unit funds 27 state fire engines at 18 stations, 4 firefighting aircraft, 4 dozers and 17 crews out of 3 fire centers.* With an annual budget of $107.6 million. The San Diego unit, or MVU, is funded to be well trained, well equipped and the 436 full time firefighters, 408 seasonal firefighters and 16 executive staff stand at the ready to proudly serve San Diego.

*These numbers do not include cooperative agreements with San Diego County Fire Protection District.

Photo, right: San Diego Sheriff's Copter makes dip in a portable HeliPod

San Diego Sheriff’s Dept. (ASTREA)

Through a partnership with CAL FIRE that started in 2005, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s  ASTREA (Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies) unit provides San Diego County with among its most valuable resources: three Bell 205 fire/rescue helicopters. Staffed with a Sheriff’s pilot and full CAL FIRE Helitack crew, these units are unique in that they are the only units that pair law enforcement with fire personnel aboard a mixed-crew helicopter. This arrangement has proven very successful in putting crews on the ground and water on a fire immediately. There is no doubt why the CAL FIRE/ASTREA partnership is looked to as the benchmark in rotor wing aerial firefighting and exemplifies their moto: “ASTREA, the sound of security.”

San Diego County Fire

San Diego County Fire is made up of the San Diego County Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE San Diego working under a co-operative agreement. 35 Stations scattered throughout San Diego County ensure extended around-the clock-protection of 1.5 million acres of unincorporated San Diego County. Around 500 first responders on staff uphold the mission of the San Diego County Fire Protection District, to “coordinate, regionalize, and improve fire protection and emergency response services provided to the unincorporated areas of San Diego County.”

San Diego Gas & Electric Co.

In addition to providing San Diego with gas and power, SDG&E has expanded its role to include firefighting and incident command capabilities. SDG&E has added some very high- tech vehicles to its stable: an S-60 Blackhawk helicopter, which can reach 140 mph and carry 850 gallons of water, an Erickson Aircrane that can hold an astounding 2,650 gallons of water, and three Incident Support Vehicles. Within minutes, SDG&E can have firefighting aircraft in the area and the capability to relay vital information to first responders and incident commanders.

There are many more firefighting agencies in San Diego County, too many to name here. Each one has tools and talent to answer the call. Whether you are in El Cajon or Alpine, Ramona or the Cleveland National Forest, there are highly trained firefighters ready and willing 24 hours a day to respond to a wildfire call. Fire safety isn’t only in the hands of these brave professionals, there are steps we all can take to prevent and mitigate wildfire, as well as prepare for if the worst does happen.

What are some things you can do to prepare for fire season? CAL FIRE Capt. Mike Cornette offers this advice:

“Ready, Set, Go is what we would like our residents to know. We need to be ready by creating defensible space and hardening the home against embers. Getting set includes making a wildfire action plan, assembling an emergency supply kit and signing up at AlertSanDiego. Go and go early when wildfire strikes. The earlier you are able to flee ensures you get out safely and frees up roadways for first responders.”

There are other ways to harden your home against wildfire. Through a partnership between CAL FIRE, the Resource Conservation District of San Diego County and local Fire Safe Councils, there is no cost chipping and defensible space assistance. For more information, go to www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

Creating a defensible space around your property and home is vital to improving the survivability of your home in a wildfire situation. There are other factors that most of us don’t think about when it comes to preventing wildfires. Capt. Cornette says, “ You may be doing the right things the wrong way.” He goes on to explain “ you should try to use your mower no later than 10:00 a.m. and never when it’s windy. Metal blades can cause a spark that can create a fire. Always maintain your equipment and never fuel your equipment in grass or brush. Keep a fire extinguisher or hose nearby. Do not drive in tall grass or drag trailer chains and keep your cell phone with you at all times. In case of emergency, call 911 immediately.”

Something new this year is the authorization for emergency vehicles in California to use the “Hi-Lo” siren tone to alert citizens that they are in immediate danger and need to evacuate. The European type two-tone siren is easily identifiable, is different from the normal response siren and sends a clear message: “ When you hear the Hi-Lo, it’s time to go."

Take some time today to check your evacuation plan, update your emergency kit and ensure your home is within county guidelines for fire safety. A little planning and common sense can mean the difference between being prepared for wildfire season and finding yourself in real trouble. If you have questions regarding wildfire preparedness, contact your local fire agency or log on to www.ReadySanDiego.org.

Josh Stotler is an East County native and freelance photo journalist with over 20 years of fire service experience.