Yuma Task Force fighting CA fire

The Yuma Fire Department received a mutual aid request from CAL Fire on Monday regarding a Task Force deployment to the “Mias Fire” burning close to Beaumont, Calif at about 11:00 p.m.

Four YFD personnel left Yuma to meet with other members of the Imperial Valley Task Force and headed to the Beaumont area.

Upon arrival, the Task Force was assigned to structure protection duties. The area where the fire was burning was approximately 200 miles from Yuma. The fire was reported to have consumed 540 acres and was 50 percent contained as of this morning.

It is currently reported that 278 firefighters are working on the fire.

A Task Force usually consists of different firefighting equipment and a team leader drawn from various departments.

A team will normally stay together through the deployment. Based on the equipment and training of the YFD personnel, they were expected to be used for structure protection duties.

YFD was deployed with a strike team or task force just last month to assist with the “Detwiler” fire near the town of Mariposa, Calif.