Cal Fire winning battle against wildfires so far
CALIFORNIA (CBS13) — Cal Fire has put out hundreds of incidents so far this year with no mega fires breaking out, but how have they been able to do it?
A Cal Fire spokesperson says its policies have not changed. However, the numbers show the agency has been able to keep wildfires under 10 acres an incident, on average.
Cal Fire responded to the Winding Fire in Yuba County with an initial 'high wildland dispatch,' the highest level of initial response possible.
The resources they used to control the fire were a plane, two helicopters, and six fire trucks. More resources were added after that initial attack, keeping the fire under 100 acres so far.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Isaac Sanchez says that despite perceptions that the agency is more aggressive on wildfires, it is not. Cal Fire policy has not changed this year on initial attacks.
"Per policy and procedures, I am unaware of any adjustments," Sanchez said. "Every fire is its own little event and we have to take it based on the merits and the behavior that it is displaying in that given moment."
Cal Fire's goal is to keep 90% of its wildfires under 10 acres in size.
As California heads into its most dangerous part of the year for wildfires, so far this year, the average size of each Cal Fire incident is 7.9 acres compared to 290 acres per incident in 2021.
In 2020, wildfires averaged 491 acres an incident. In comparison, 2019's average wildfire size was 33 acres.
"This is the time of year when things really start to take off for us," Sanchez said.
Historically, July is one of the worst months for wildfires in California. Of the 20 largest wildfires in state history, seven were in July.