State sends two firefighting teams to California

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.

As the firefighters pulled out of a truck stop at Blue Diamond Road and Interstate 15 on Tuesday, the Clark County Department of Air Quality issued an advisory to Southern Nevada residents, who could begin smelling the smoke from the massive California fires today and Thursday.

The National Weather Service predicted winds of up to 30 to 40 mph today.

Those forecasts prompted air quality officials to issue notices to local construction sites to keep down dust on their properties.

"The notices are part of a program to help reduce possible health effects from dust storms," Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said. "They expect more impact on local air quality from the wildfires if today's and Thursday's forecasts hold true."

The advisory warns most people to limit outdoor exercise and consider staying indoors as much as possible.

Residents concerned about air quality may call the department at 455-5942 or visit the monitoring section of Air Quality's website at www.accessclarkcounty.com.

Two strike force teams including 50 firefighters from Nevada joined the 11,000 weary firefighters battling the raging Southern California wildland fires on Tuesday.

"This is history," Clark County Emergency Management coordinator Carolyn Levering said. "We've never done this, never sent crews out of state, and we have never had this level of cooperation."

California Gov. Gray Davis called on Nevada for assistance and firefighters from Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, the Nevada Test Site, Pahrump Valley and Fallon responded.

The first team left shortly before noon Tuesday, Jeff Morgan, deputy chief for the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Department, said. Morgan activated the strike teams. The second team headed to the Cedar fire in the San Diego area about 7:10 p.m. Tuesday.

The first strike team arrived in San Diego about 6 p.m. Tuesday. They were expected to be put to work this morning, Morgan said. The second team is expected to go on the fire line tonight.

"This is immense," Morgan said. "I've never seen anything like it."

California had requested 50 firefighters each from Nevada and Arizona, Morgan said. Nevada's firefighters will replace crews working to protect homes where the suburbs meet the wildlands as the Cedar fire burns uncontrolled.

The Las Vegas Fire Department sent a total of four fire engines and 16 firefighters, department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. Engines left from Pahrump Valley, the Nevada Test Site and the Naval Station at Fallon in Northern Nevada. Each engine has a four-person crew.

All firefighters and paramedics who responded volunteered to go to San Diego, Szymanski said. The fire engines are reserve units. Since President Bush declared a state of emergency in California, the federal government will reimburse Clark County and the cities for their expenses, Szymanski said.

The Cedar fire may not be contained until Nov. 5, the California Department of Forestry said.

"It's blown up," Strike Team Two leader John Rynes said during a briefing of the 23 firefighters and paramedics. "It's out of control."

Rynes, who is deputy fire chief at the Nevada Test Site, said that Southern California's fires have burned with such intensity and over such an area because of a combination of drought and dry weather.

The area from Los Angeles to San Diego received normal rainfall this year, but the extreme heat of July, August and September turned the trees and grasses into a tinderbox.

"The flames are driven by the Santa Ana winds," Rynes said. Wildland fires typically die down at night when cooler temperatures, less wind and higher humidity dampen flames.

But "these fires are getting up and running in the night," Rynes said.

Nevada Test Site Fire Chief Charles Fauerbach said all the firefighters had volunteered to assist.

"They would normally be off for the next nine days," he said.

Nevada's firefighters are prepared to protect homes in the path of the inferno for the next 72 hours, Fauerbach said. They plan to spray threatened homes with foam and water down the area.

"It's very dangerous to get between the fire and the homes," Fauerbach said. "It's one of the most dangerous careers and on the flip side it is one of the most rewarding careers."

Residents of the area sometimes have propane tanks, diesel fuel and hazardous materials, which add fuel to the fires, he said.

Firefighters protect life first, then property, he said. If flames engulf a spot where firefighters are battling the blaze, they will leave their hoses and other equipment and leave, he said.

"Regulations are written in blood," Fauerbach said.

Nevada Test Site Capt. Craig Bradshaw hugged his daughter Deann, who had tears in her eyes as she said goodbye to her father Tuesday.

"It's a little nerve-wracking," Deann Bradshaw said. "I trust all of them. They're good guys and we know they're safe up there."

Bradshaw has been fighting fires at the Test Site for 25 years, after briefly working as a coal miner.

"California needs our help right now and I feel privileged," Bradshaw said. "It's something I've been doing all my life."

Las Vegas firefighter and paramedic Jackie Love said she was looking forward to helping battle the flames.

"The real excitement won't hit me until I get there," Love said. "Now it's reserve the excitement."

The worst fire Love said she saw in the past six months was at a house and resulted in two deaths after firefighters rescued the people and took them to a hospital.

"That's why you keep the excitement in control," Love said.

Asked how long she could go without sleep, Love said, "We'll see."

Pahrump Valley Fire Dept. Capt. Chris Van Leuven said, "I'm excited to get out there."

Southern Nevada was expected to begin to feel the impact from smoke and ash particles drifting into the Las Vegas Valley as soon as today.

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