Drought-stricken California has endured severe wildfires this year and over the summer, local firefighters, including a Chula Vista captain, were sent to Northern California to help battle harrowing flames.
Chula Vista Fire Department (CVFD) Capt. Andy Wilson, along with thousands of firefighters from across the country, spent weeks away from home battling the summer wildfires.
Wilson, who works out of Engine 55 at Station 5 in Chula Vista, was dispatched to the Rocky Fire in late July, a wildfire in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties that burned for more than two weeks, scorched nearly 69,500 acres and destroyed 43 homes, 53 outbuildings and eight other structures.
Just as the Rocky Fire was beginning to wind down in mid-August and Wilson was preparing to return home to Chula Vista, the Jerusalem Fire broke out on the southern edge of the Rocky Fire. The Jerusalem Fire would eventually burn more than 25,000 acres and destroy six residences and 21 outbuildings.
Wilson was there on the first night.
"Initially, the fire had a very rapid rate of spread and just blew up, so there were a lot of unknowns about access issues, and where to insert crews and attack the fire. There were also issues for gathering that amount of resources in a quick fashion," Wilson recalled.
As a field observer, Wilson hikes through a wildfire area using GPS equipment.
“It starts with briefing first thing in the morning, which usually gets underway at 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m. Then we head out to the field,” he explained. “We're doing a lot of mapping, and helping provide the maps the troops use to fight the fires when they're out there.”
“We also have to be aware of where suppression lines are going. It could be where bulldozers are working, where hand crews are building fire lines, or where engine companies are bringing in hose lays," he continued.
Wilson takes the information back to the Planning team of the Incident Command System (ICS) at base camp, which uses the information to make maps for the next morning.
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A field observer's duties change based on what the fire is doing.
"When the fire is still growing and expanding, we're monitoring fire behavior, locating access points, and also identifying work that's being done," said Wilson. "As the fire starts to transition into where it's not growing as much anymore, then we're doing more mapping, fire suppression efforts, and documenting fire behavior.
As the fire dies down, the field observer takes note of damage to structure, vehicles and property.
Local firefighters who are called in to help out on wildfires are usually there two to three weeks at a time.
Since the wildfires are generally in rural locations, accommodations to provide for thousands of firefighters are scarce.
"Typically as a field observer, we're working 12 to 14 hour shifts and we're off in the evening. Most of the time when I'm out there, we're sleeping in tents that are encamped. We're just on a bedroll in a sleeping tent," explained Wilson.
The Logistics team of the Incident Command System (ICS) sets up operations much like a small city, in whatever space is available, such as a school campus or fairgrounds.
"Occasionally, we do get the opportunity, if there are local hotels nearby, and there are rooms available, they'll put us up in a hotel room. That's definitely more the exception that the norm," said Wilson. "And sometimes there are sleeping trailers in the camp, that they'll provide, which is an air conditioned trailer where they can sleep up to 40 people."
It takes specialized training to take on the role of field observer. Wilson went on his first training assignment in 2009.
"I was looking for more opportunities to get involved, and it's a dynamic, diverse and physical position," he said.
Wilson said working as a field observer away from home also makes him a better fire captain for the city of Chula Vista.
"It adds to my ability to recognize potentially dangerous situations here that could get myself or any of my crew members hurt,” said Wilson. “It helps me make better decisions on where to put crews and what suppression efforts might be appropriate in certain situations."
