Chiefs LaMont and Fogle, and CalFire brief on local readiness during high wind events

Asked about the level of staffing at IFPD during our recent Red Flag Warning, when three local engines were assisting at fires in Los Angeles county, Chief Mark LaMont had this to say: “We have double the amount of staff right here that we would have on a normal day, even with the three engines we sent to support our partners. Of our hand crew, three members are out on those engines helping, but thirteen are available to return here within 20 minutes.”

LaMont also compared IFPD’s past and present level of readiness. He said that at the time of the Bee Canyon fire, in 2018, Idyllwild Fire had only two engines, and during the 2013 Mountain Fire, three. They now have a total of seven, so even with three engines responding to mutual aid calls, they are more strongly positioned than during those fires. “We still have four engines here fully capable of handling any incident that may show itself. Should the need arise, we can call in 13 additional bodies.”

Returning to the topic of Mutual Aid, LaMont says “Idyllwild Fire takes our Mutual Aid commitment very seriously because we know the benefit of receiving mutual aid.” To better understand how the different agencies work together to protect the Hill during emergencies, he recommended a visit to Chief Chris Fogle of the United States Forest Service.

Fogle is Division Chief, supervising the USFS assets within the San Jacinto Ranger District, and his office is at the Keen Wild station. He explained that during the Red Flag Warning they had three type 3 engines in the district and two fire “modules.” During peak fire season these are 20 person hand crews, the Hot Shots. “These are available nationally for 14 two-week pay periods, a little more than half a year. During the part of the year, we have in the past thought of as “outside peak” fire season, these crews are down-staffed and become Suppression Modules, SMODs, with 10 to 12 people each. Vista Grande is now in SMOD mode, and Fuels Crew 6, a seven-person hand crew. The USFS was also keeping two water tenders and five fire patrols, which Fogle called Fire Prevention Technicians.

This local contingent was being reinforced by two type 3 engines on a “cover” assignment from the Stanislaus National Forest. These reinforcements come not just from within the state, but from around the region. The Stanislaus engines relieved a group of local government engines from Idaho that “timed out” the Saturday before the wind event.

Fogle explained something of the organization of the Forest Service. There are nine centers across the nation, two of which are in California due to the size of the state and the frequency of fires. “South Ops” covers four National Forests in southern California: San Bernardino, Angeles, Cleveland and Los Padres. Because the northern part of the state is getting plenty of moisture this winter, some of their assets were sent to our forest to preposition before the wind event.

Fogle explained that during wind events they go to an “augmented staffing pattern.” All crews in the SBNF are on fire suppression and prevention duties, working 24 hour shifts instead of their usual 8 hours, and expected to keep doing this through Sunday.

Fogle confirmed that the USFS had a hand in cutting up downed trees during the current event, adding that he sent people from the Cranston station to cut up fallen pepper trees at the east end of Hemet.

Fogle also confirmed something that Chief LaMont brings up regularly; that the USFS is understaffed. During the 2024 fire season they were only able to staff 3 type 3 engines in the San Jacinto Ranger District because of “critical vacancies in supervisory positions.” The “covering” engines from Stanislaus help augment these numbers.

In the coming days Fogle asks everyone in the forest to be extremely careful. The last measurable rain was in April. Activities like woodcutting may create sparks and flames. In most winters the risk would be acceptable, but not this year. Off-road recreational vehicles start many fires with hot exhaust systems and catalytic convertors. Because of very low fuel moistures, this is not a good time to pursue either of these activities.

For more information about the restrictions that are still in place this dry and windy January visit the San Bernardino National Forest webpage, www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf.

Maggie Cline De La Rosa, Public Safety Information Specialist with Cal Fire provided this information about their level of readiness. “CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire has fire engines staffed at all stations in the surrounding area – Stations 23 (Pine Cove), 53 (Garner Valley) and 30 (Pinyon), as well as 2 brush engines and a patrol at Station 29 (Anza) that would respond to any vegetation fire that occurred. We also have strike teams (1 leader and 5 engines) that are currently being mobilized for use on the entire west end of the county, and those engines will be staged in Beaumont but will be available to respond where needed. These are engines that are coming from out of the area to pre-position for any large incidents we may have.”