Weiser rural fire sends brush truck to California

By: 
Steve Lyon

The Weiser Area Rural Fire Department contributed a brush truck and one firefighter to a multi-department task force from Idaho that left last week to fight wildfires raging in California.
 Other fire personnel from Idaho that departed for California came from the Emmett Fire Department, Parma Fire Department and Sand Hollow Fire Department.
 “We have been doing whatever we can to support their efforts down there,” Weiser rural assistant fire chief John Stuart said.
 Weiser rural firefighter James “Mac” MacDonald, along with a firefighter from Marsing and another volunteer from Payette, arrived in Ventura County last Wednesday.
 On Thursday, the crew assembled at a staging area and on Friday and Saturday MacDonald and the other firefighters went to the front line of the Maria Fire.  Sunday was a day off for the fire crew after firemen worked a 24-hour shift, followed by a 24-hour rest period. Wind speeds and temperatures dipped Sunday and firefighters were able to make good progress on strengthening containment lines. Evacuation orders covering about 11,000 people were lifted Sunday.  
 A video posted to the Weiser Area Rural Fire Department’s Facebook page shows Weiser rural’s type 6 brush truck in action on the Maria Fire.
 A voice on the video can be heard thanking firemen for helping to save houses from the flames. If it wasn’t for their efforts, a neighbor’s house would be ash.
 On Monday, it was reported by NPR and other news outlets that fire crews had the upper hand on the Maria Fire and it was nearly fully contained. The fire erupted suddenly Thursday evening and quickly burned more than 9,400 acres.
 With the good news on the fire lines, the Idaho task force demobilized on Monday and MacDonald and the rest of the fire team were headed back to Idaho. California fire crews under the unified command of Cal Fire and Ventura County were hoping to have the Maria Fire fully under control by Friday.
 Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Oct. 29 authorized sending five fire engines and 17 personnel to California where numerous wind-driven wildfires have been burning. The approval is part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact agreement Idaho has with California.
 The mutual aid agreement between states was created to provide assistance in the event of a disaster. The deployment of Idaho personnel was expected to last 17 days.
 Stuart said the Weiser Area Rural Fire District received a call on Sunday, Oct. 27, from Idaho emergency services looking to put together a strike team of firefighters to travel to California. The Sand Hollow Fire Protection District took the lead in organizing fire crews from southwest Idaho.

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18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
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