CAL FIRE at the Fair

Day 5 of the San Bernardino County Fair in Victorville, California began with winds gusting to 25 miles an hour.  The winds pushed dust across the area and served as a reminder about the potential for wildfire.  With fire equipment from the San Bernardino Unit assisting on fires in other areas, a strike team of fire engines again spent the day in the San Bernardino Unit supplying support.


This Madera/Mariposa/Merced strike team had been in the San Diego Unit on the fire there before coming to the San Bernardino Unit.  Like the previous day, the strike team showed up at the San Bernardino County Fair.  Once again fair goers were able to see up close and personal what CAL FIRE is all about.

Young man is assisted out of the cab after getting to see the inside of a real fire engine

The firefighters jumped right in, talking to visitors and showing off their engines to young and old alike.  They also helped in the CAL FIRE booth in Smokey Bear Park, answering questions and asking fire prevention and safety questions to the young people who wanted to spin the CAL FIRE fire prevention wheel.  The MMM firefighters along with San  Bernardino Unit firefighters took Smokey Bear around the fair where he made many new friends.

Smokey Bear and friends head out for a walk about around the fair

Thank you to the firefighters and leaders of the Madera/Mariposa/Merced Unit strike team.  They showed once again that CAL FIRE can travel anywhere in the state, and work together with other CAL FIRE members to accomplish a common goal whether it is fighting fire or working public fire safety events.

Have you got your Smokey on?

Fire engine Disneyland for fair goers

Yesterday, Tuesday, May 28, 2013 was the fourth day of the San Bernardino County Fair in Victorville, California.  The public service area of the fair called Smokey Bear Park had some special visitors.  A CAL FIRE strike team of fire engines (strike teams consist of 5 engines and a strike team leader) from the San Mateo/Santa Cruz area stopped by to lend a hand.



Captain Tony Jones explaining what CAL FIRE does at the fair to the San Mateo/Santa Cruz Firefighters



Looking from the entrance of Smokey Bear Park at two CAL FIRE engines infront of the CAL FIRE booth

The strike team had been in San Diego assisting the CAL FIRE Unit there in covering some of their stations in place of the regular crews who had been involved in fighting a wildland fire there.  This is one of the abilities of CAL FIRE, to move resources from one area to another to meet operational needs.

Flo the Clown stopped by to see what was going on and spent some time with the Firefighters

Because of the highwinds and low humidities in the Inland Empire and High Desert areas, the strike team which had been released from San Diego was repositioned in the San Bernardino Unit in case a fire broke out. The strike team had been positioned at the Phelan Fire Station and came over to the fair to help.

Two of the San Mateo/Santa Crus engines infront of the CAL FIRE booth

This is the only time in the history of the CAL FIRE presence at the fair that so many fire engines have been available for the public to see and learn about.  During their time at the fair, the crews assisted in the CAL FIRE booth sharing fire prevention information as well as providing the public with guided tours around their fire engines.  They also took Smokey Bear on a tour of the fair much to the enjoyment of children and adults alike.

The CAL FIRE engines saying good bye to fair goers as they left

The San Bernardino Unit says thank you to the CAL FIRE firefighters from San Mateo/Santa Cruz for jumping in and helping the fair going public to learn more about CAL FIRE and fire safety.  The six fire engines (one was from the San Bernardino Unit) were a fantastic draw and served to display CAL FIRE at its best. 

Firefighters’ 27th annual Wildland Training Exercises

For the 27th consecutive year, firefighters from fire departments throughout the San Bernardino valley and mountains will be participating in the San Bernardino County Fire Training Officers’ Association’s wildland training exercises. The training focuses on wildland urban interface fire operations including structure defense techniques, resource utilization, equipment deployment, structure triage, safety, communications, and tactical priorities. Additionally, the training includes a 1500 foot hose lay, shelter deployment and MAST training in a realistic 4-hour training exercise.


As we have seen in the last several days, fast moving interface fires can threaten homes and property very rapidly. This training will enhance the firefighters capability to work together to defend the residents and properties of San Bernardino County.

When faced with a wildfire, firefighters employ a technique called “bump and run”. This is where a strike team of five fire engines will enter a threatened or burning neighborhood and deploy at five consecutive homes. The fire engine backs into the driveway of a home and firefighters quickly assess their surroundings. If the home has defensible space and firefighters feel it can be defended they deploy hoses and work to push the approaching flames away from the structure. Then as the firefighters push the flames around the home to the next, they return to their engine and move to the next home furthest down the line and so on. This leapfrogging allows firefighters to protect a larger number of homes with a smaller amount of resources. The training is an important annual event and allows our local firefighters to train together in a realistic environment, sharpening their skills in preparation for the upcoming high fire hazard months of summer and fall.

There will be no live fire training at this event. The exercise will be conducted at the Forest Lawn Scout Reservation 29485 Hook Creek Road, Cedar Glen 92321 between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 7,8, and 9, 2013.

Wabash Fire

At approximately 11:45 a.m. today, a fire was reported in the area of Redlands and Yucaipa, California.  The fire was near the Wabash road off of the east bound I-10 Freeway.  The first arriving CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit fire engines reported 2 to 3 acres, fast rate of spread with numerous spots fires.  The fire began adjacent to the freeway and burned rapidly up the hillside fueled by steep slopes and dead field grass.  There was also an immediate threat to homes above the ridge line.



Wabash fire racing up the hillside in the dry grass from the I-10 Fwy

CAL FIRE and Redlands Fire immediately assumed a unified command to fight the fire.  Fast response from CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service aircraft and CAL FIRE  and CAL FIRE/San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department helicopters greatly assisted the firefighters in stopping the forward spread of the fire. The eastbound lanes of the I-10 Freeway were totally shut down for about 30 minutes and gradually opened too three eastbound lanes within the next hour.  The outside lane and the emergency parkway will remain closed until mop-up is completed.

Extreme fire activity even without the strong wilds of the last few days



A coyote running away from the flames

Approximately 150 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire and protecting the structures and the height of the incident.  No structures were reported damaged or destroyed, no injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.  The fire burned 28.5 acres and is expected to be 100% contained by 8:00 a.m. this evening.  Full control is expected by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow Saturday, May 5, 2013.

CAL FIRE air tanker after retardant drop



SOLAR Exercise a great success

The fire is reported in northeastern portion of Orange County, California. The arriving units quickly realize that the fast moving flames are a threat to the adjacent counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside. This area is a four corners section of land where all four counties come into contact. As the original responding engines call for resources from CAL FIRE and the other counties, they and all of the incoming fire resources are advised to switch over to the SOLAR Communications Plan.The SOLAR com plan is the result of the communications difficulties that were experienced during the 2008 "Freeway" fire that destroyed or damaged 314 homes primarily in Anahiem Hills and Yorba Linda. Because of those difficulties, The CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit, Los Angeles County Fire, Orange County Fire Authority, and CAL FIRE Riverside County Fire Department have worked to develop a specific communication plan for utilization in that four corner area that is of concern to everyone.

Again this year, these departments along with other local fire departments have come together to practice wildland fire response utilizing the SOLAR com plan. The three day event from May 9 through 11, was conducted again in Tonner Canyon north of the community Diamond Bar. The exercise is the same each day and tests the firefighters in communications, tactical fire planning, and actual abilities such as hose lays and line construction.
Fire engine crews and fire crews work together in putting this fire out. On one section of this "fire" this year, nearly two thousand feet of hose was laid as the firefighters fought the imaginary flames over the hills. The exercises also include fire fighting helicopters that participate in aerial control and water dropping in support of the fire fighting activities.

This year's exercises brought together more than six hundred firefighters and more than one hundred fire engines. The SOLAR exercise allows the firefighters to work with other firefighters and build experience that cannot be accomplished in any other type of local training. This is also important for fire service leadership who are tasked during the exercise in a variety of fire leadership positions, providing them with valuable real time training as well.

Spark of Love Events in Highland and Yucaipa

Firefighters in the cities of Highland and Yucaipa are joining together with the ABC7 Firefighters Spark of Love Christmas Toy campaign, KFRG FM radio and the Angel cars from Fueled by the Fallen to collect toys for less advantaged children. This is the 19th year of the Spark of Love Christmas toy campaign which collects toys for the less advantaged children of southern California. With Spark of Love, the toys collected remain in the community where they were donated.

The five “Angel” cars were created by Fueled by the Fallen which was founded by Kevyn Major Howard, known as “Rafterman” from Stanley Kubrick’s blockbuster film Full Metal Jacket. In 2007 Kevyn said “I was watching the nightly news as they announced that 12 died this day and 7 that day”, Kevyn said. “I woke up one morning and challenged myself to name just one person who has died for my freedom”, he continued. “I couldn’t.” So Kevyn decided to do something about it. He started Fueled By The Fallen, a 501(c)3 non-profit. To honor the fallen victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Fueled by the Fallen created the “Angel” cars. At first glance, the five Chevy Camaros lined along a street look like a muscle car show, but a closer look shows the cars are strong support for the families of 9/11 victims. "Inscribed onto these cars are those that fell on that particular day," Kevyn Major Howard, founder of the "Fueled by the Fallen” organization, said. Howard and his organization placed the names of each victim of 9/11 on the five cars to remember those that died and the sacrifices their families have made since the attack ten years ago.

Both events will be held this Saturday, December 17, 2011. The first event is located in the City of Highland at Immanuel Baptist Church, 28355 East Baseline. KFRG FM radio a Spark of Love supporter from the very beginning will be doing a live remote during the event which runs from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. Immanuel Baptist Church is easy to find and very accessible from either the 5th street off ramp or the Baseline off ramp of the 210 Freeway. Get off on either and go east to Webster. From 5th street turn north and from Baseline turn south.

The Yucaipa City Spark of Love event will be held at AJ Barile’s Chicago Pizza from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. Located at 32693 Yucaipa Avenue, the Chicago Pizza Factory is right across the street from the Crafton Hills Fire Station and is very easy to find.

While toys of all kinds are truly appreciated, please think about the older children and young teens as well and Please remember to be fire safe during the holidays.

CAL FIRE Firefighter Fights for Kids

He's a runner, he's a boxer and he's a firefighter II/paramedic for CAL FIRE. Steve Leverette works at station 543 in the City of Highland and that's where this story begins. During business inspections back in March, the engine crew from station 543 paid a visit to a local gym. The firefighters discovered that the gym was a none-profit organization "Highland Boxing".

From that visit, Leverette ran in the Los Angeles Marathon representing the gym for Charity. As a result of that involvement, the gym trained Steve for three months in preparation for a charity boxing event called Battle of the Badges 2011. The training was conducted by Tony and Sunny Cifuentes. The event was held at the Casino Morongo Spa and Resort and was sponsored by "Cops 4 Kids" which is a non-profit organization dedicated to getting kids off the streets. The event was sold out!

The boxing matches involved law enforcement officers and firefighters. Leverette answered the bell in championship fashion. His bout was stopped in the second round as he won with a TKO. For you none boxing fans that means Technical Knockout.

Firefighter II/Paramedic Leverette is to be congratulated not only for his boxing prowess, but for his desire to get involved and help to protect the community he serves on duty and off.

CAL FIRE Responds to Highland Flooding Incident

December 22, 2010 dawned as a massive mud and debris flood engulfed several neighborhoods of the City of Highland, California. After nearly a week of moderate rainfall, a day of heavy rain rushed down the already saturated nearby mountain slopes. Creeks rushed out of their banks, debris basins overflowed, and the massive runoff clogged the storm drain system causing the mud and debris to flow down streets and through homes.

Early on, CAL FIRE firefighters (CAL FIRE is the city fire department for the City of Highland) assisted 26 residents of an area in south eastern Highland known as the Village to flee the rising flood. As the flowing river of mud hit the village, it buried cars and trucks, crushed property and inundated homes.

Almost immediately, CAL FIRE joined in a unified command with the City of Highland and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department which is the contract law enforcement agency for the city. Working in concert from years of practice and preparation as members of MAST (Mountain Area Safety Taskforce) the firefighters and Sheriff's deputies moved rapidly to respond to life safety and traffic issues. As the morning progressed, additional support was brought in from CAL FIRE and the Sheriff's Department.

Beginning on Thursday, December 23rd, CAL FIRE hand crews began working on mud and debris removal while at the same time working to build sandbag protection around homes that continued to be threatened by the potential of additional water and mud runoff. For six consecutive days, a sandbag filling operation, running practically 24 hours a day filled and moved out into the community more than 150,000 sandbags. The hand crews worked through rain and cold to keep the other crews supplied with the valuable sandbags.

The crews, firefighters, Sheriff's deputies, city personnel, and San Bernardino County flood control staff worked through Christmas to help those affected by the massive mud flow to begin the recovery process. The incident began to wind down as New Year's approached, with only a couple of crews completing final mud clearing operations on January 1, 2011.

The damage is estimated to exceed 21-million dollars. No deaths or injuries were reported because of the flooding. The local communities affected by the flood showed their appreciation to the crews on a nearly continuous basis. The amount of work accomplished in the nine days following the flood was incredible. The 36 hand crews from numerous CAL FIRE Conservation Camps, firefighters, Sheriff's Deputies, Highland city personnel, and all the other participants in the recovery have given the residents of the City of Highland a head start on recovery and a solid defense from rain for the rest of the Winter.

CAL FIRE Firefighters help during Fire Prevention Week

CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit Firefighters from the Yucca Valley Fire Station participated in Fire Prevention week festivities at the Home Depot in Yucca Valley. The October 7th event drew a large crowd including 100 kids from the local headstart program. With Smokey Bear overseeing the work, the firefighters helped the children to assemble their own wooden version of the Home Depot #20 race car. In fact, the kids got to see the real #20 car as well.

Tour of Duty Running Team Stops at Station 543

Thursday evening August 12th, Highland Fire Station 543 had some special visitors. They were a running team from Tour of Duty on their way to New York. So who are these runners and what is the Tour of Duty... http://www.tourofduty.com.au/

The team that stopped by Station 543 were greeted by the firefighters from all three Highland Fire Stations along with battalion Chief Jeff Veik. As the team took a break and grabbed a quick shower, firefighter Brian Cali prepared a meal of hot dogs and hamburgers.

After the meal and a brief rest, the team whose members are from the Police and Fire Departments of Australia, Chicago, Las Vegas, and New York, hit the road at 9:00 PM (2100 hrs. for you military time buffs) headed for Victorville. The team plans to meet up with the other two teams that left the Santa Monica pier Thursday morning August 12th shortly before 9:00 AM.

It ws an honor to host if even for a few moments these firefighters and police officers who are giving of their time and expending the effort to keep the memory of those lost and injured in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit wishes the teams good fortune and easily running.

Thank you to Fire Caption Jason Marsh for the photos and the information.