As the wildfires in California continue to burn and some new fires start, firefighters from all over Texas continue to help. District 7 currently has seven personnel and two trucks working the fire line in California. This week we will have a change in personnel as two firefighters finish a 21 day deployment and five others have finished their 14 day stint. Those seven will be replaced with five that are packed and ready to head out this week.
Southwest Airlines will provide two charter planes for both the firefighters deploying to California, and those who are returning home. These charter flights were provided by Southwest at no cost to the firefighters.
Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) resources have been assisting with these fires since August 24, 2020. This is the third time in the last two years that fire fighters from Texas have deployed to California to assist in controlling the large wild fires that the state has become accustom to in recent years.
Twenty-five fires are actively burning in California with over three million acres burned. The August Complex fire, which District 7 units have been working on, has burned over 800 thousand acres and is 45% contained.
District 7 has been assigned to the strike team named “Texas 1”. This task force includes firefighters from: San Antonio Fire Department, Porter Fire Department, Eastex Fire Department, Canyon Lake Fire Department, and Schertz Fire Department. Texas 1 has been assisting with back burn operations, falling tree hazards, and structure protection.
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