Yuma Fire Department responds to fast-moving California brush fire

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A fast-moving brush fire continues to threaten homes near San Bernardino, California is causing evacuations in the area. Local firefighters, from the Yuma Fire Department, have been deployed to assist in the fast-moving “El Dorado fire”.

California authorities requested the support and our firefighters quickly responded to the blaze. Four Yuma firefighters traveled to Westmoreland, California, and have arrived safely.

The Imperial Valley task force members assigned local firefighters to structural protection duties.

Mike Erfert with Yuma fire explains more of their special responsibilities.

“A task-force like this consists of several firefighting apparatus, and it'll have the personnel that goes along with each of those apparatus.”

“Due to the equipment and training of our personnel, they're usually assigned to structure protection duties. And like being assigned to a neighborhood, and then dealing with any fire dangers that approach into that neighborhood,” he added.

Among our team, there are also around 600 other firefighters working the high elevated, grass-fueled blaze.

At last check, the el dorado fire has burned 3 thousand and 10 acres and it's only five percent contained.

“They plan for being out, as long as two weeks. We hope that not going to be needed for that long. We have in the past, there have been deployments, where after those two weeks, additional personnel is set up to rotate out,” Erfert said.

The last time YFD personnel was deployed with a strike team was in October 2019. They were sent out to “Kincade fire” in Sonoma County, California.