Local firefighters help battle California wildfires

Localfirefighters are now in southern California helping to battle wildfires.

The Yuma Fire Department got a call for help around one Wednesday afternoon. Within an hour, four firefighters had packed their gear, prepared their engine, and deployed to rendezvous with members of the Imperial Valley Task Force. The group then headed to the Riverside area to get its orders .

We’re told the team has reached the staging area, but has not yet received its orders. Yuma firefighters have expertise in battling structure fires, so it’s likely they’ll help protect residential areas.

A ” task force ” consists of several engines and various firefighting apparatus, combined with crews and a team leader drawn from several fire departments. The team usually stays together throughout the deployment. This deployment could last as long as two-weeks, but local fire officials hope they won’t be needed that long.

Local firefighters were part of the task forces and strike teams that battled the Camp Fire in northern California, and the Woolsey Fire in Ventura County in November of last year.

KYMA 2019