By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
Despite rigorous 24-hour shifts and sleeping on cots, spirits are high among Lincoln County firefighters dispatched nearly a week ago to help battle the catastrophic fires in southern California.
“We are doing well,” Depoe Bay fire chief Tom Jackson said in an interview with YachatsNews. “Our crews are working very hard. They are excited to help California — there’s a lot of excitement helping out. They feel it is a duty and an honor to help where they can. And morale is pretty high.”
Jackson had just come off the fire line Monday when he took time before showering and catching some sleep to talk about how he and the other 16 firefighters are faring since leaving Oregon last Wednesday.
“Mind you, we just got off the line so I’m trying to gather our thoughts here,” Jackson said. “Typically, what happens is we start our day by attending a morning briefing prior to being deployed to a division of the fire. Then once we get there, we get a lay of the land and formulate our plan for the day’s operations.”
Jackson and his team includes members from the Garibaldi, North Lincoln, Depoe Bay, Newport, Central Coast and Polk County District 1 fire departments and are part of Oregon’s Strike Team 9.
“We stay as a team, we don’t split up,” Jackson said.
The strike team, which drove together to California in five wildland fire engines and a command vehicle, has been working solely on the Palisades Fire to control hotspots and flareups from fires that were previously extinguished.
“We are working on containment lines and inside areas that have already burned to try to cool it down and keep it from spreading,” Jackson said. “In order to do that there are hand lines that are actually cut to separate some of the vegetation from the burned area. And then we go in about 300 feet inside the perimeter to basically spray water and make sure it’s out.”
Because they are not in heavy smoke, the firefighters are able to work without needing to wear any breathing apparatus. They work 24 hours on followed by 24 hours off and have been staying on the third floor of a business complex just outside of Pacific Palisades.
The team is operating in the Topanga Canyon area of the Palisades Fire, which includes Malibu. Jackson anticipates they will stay on that fire until returning to Oregon. The deployment period lasts two weeks.
“We are specifically working just outside a residential area, so it’s sort of open land,” Jackson said. “Prior to us getting there they were able to get the fire under control. But again, there remained a lot of hotspots and flareups so our job is to ensure the fire is completely out so if we have a wind event it won’t stir up any further fire activity.”
Hundreds from Oregon
Strong Santa Ana winds are expected to continue through at least Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, and no precipitation is forecast for at least the next 10 days.
Jackson said he heard about the continued wind threat from news reports, but said his team have not heard it directly from command yet.
“We’ve heard yesterday and today through Wednesday, but as far as how severe they’re going to be — not quite sure yet,” Jackson said.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal initially mobilized 12 strike teams with 240 firefighters and 60 engines after receiving a request for assistance from California officials in the wee hours of Jan. 7. By Jan. 8, Oregon added three more teams bringing the total to 300 firefighters and 75 engines.
On Saturday, the agency mobilized six additional strike teams of 70 firefighters and water tenders from Lincoln, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, Linn, Morrow, Multnomah and Umatilla counties.
Officials with North Lincoln Fire & Rescue told YachatsNews they sent four firefighters initially and another three on Sunday. The state fire marshal has now sent a total of 21 strike teams, 370 firefighters, 75 fire engines and 30 water tenders.
In addition to crews from Oregon, firefighters from Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Idaho, as well as from Canada and Mexico are providing aid, according to Cal Fire, the agency in charge of firefighting efforts.
The Oregon fire marshal’s office also had to address false rumors, misinformation on social media and from some news outlets claiming equipment from Oregon had to pass emission tests and that they and some firefighters were turned away by California officials.
Cal Fire conducts routine safety checks at a station near Sacramento to ensure the engines are mechanically sound. “No engine was turned away,” the Oregon fire marshal’s statement stated. “They all completed the safety check …”
Oregon and other states are helping California through mutual aid agreements. Agencies and firefighters are reimbursed by Cal Fire for time and costs incurred.
There are three wildfires underway in Los Angeles County that began Jan. 7, according to Cal Fire. The Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and is just 17 percent contained. The Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres and is 35 percent contained. And the Hurst Fire has burned 799 acres and is 97 percent contained. An additional uncontained fire that ignited Monday in Ventura County has burned 56 acres.
To date, the fires have destroyed more than 12,300 structures, according to Cal Fire, and burned a total of 40,644 acres.
Devastating return home
For Jackson, who is originally from Downey, Calif. just south of Los Angeles, the destruction wrought by the fires hits on an emotional level.
“It’s pretty devastating,” he said. “I’m originally from the area and I can tell you personally that I was heartbroken by what I saw. Really, what we are seeing, you can’t really describe in detail, it just doesn’t give it the justice that it deserves because it’s pretty traumatic.
“I feel for these people and …” after a long pause “Yeah, it’s tough.”
Jackson has been with the Depoe Bay Fire District for five years. Prior to that he was at the Newport Fire Department for 10 years. Newport chief Rob Murphy is the only Newport firefighter in California and traveled with Jackson.
“The work is tiresome, but morale is great and the guys are working hard and diligently and they are doing a fantastic job,” Jackson said. “I am very proud of our firefighters — couldn’t be more proud.”
After showering in portable units where the team is staying and getting into fresh clothes, Jackson called back to follow up on a question about what the crew is eating.
Cal Fire supplies sack lunches and dinners while the crew is on the fire line, he said, but it’s the local residents who are really stepping up.
“We have people that are coming by some of the fire stations just dropping off so much food it’s crazy,” Jackson said. “It is impressive, just inspiring and touching. The fact that these citizens here, who have experienced such a disaster, have simply shown their generosity in spite of all they’ve lost, they are just so appreciative and very happy that the help has arrived.
“It’s just so touching to all of us,” he continued. “Everywhere you go people are so appreciative. It just, it melts my heart.”
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
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