With Nearly A Dozen Fires Burning, How Does Cal Fire Distribute Resources?

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — If it seems like California is burning up this year, Cal Fire data backs it up. The state has had 4,800 wildfires this year-to-date. That's a thousand more than in an average year.

On Monday, 11 major wildfires were burning across the state. CBS13 got answers as to how Cal Fire determines which fire needs the most resources. Cal Fire said it depends on the risk.

"What are the values at risk?" said Cal Fire spokesman and retired Roseville Fire Marshal Dennis Mathisen. "Is it a community, lives, property, environmental assets, or infrastructure? Those factors play into which incidents get immediate need resources."

Cal Fire said it puts incident commanders on the ground at each wildfire. The commanders communicate continuously with either their northern or southern regional leaders. If lives are at stake, those areas get the most manpower first.

"They make those decisions fairly quickly," said Mathisen. "Cal Fire has been doing this for awhile. It's a very well honed machine."

Cal Fire said it's not currently using out-of-state resources. Instead, it's moving helicopters, air tankers, and firefighters up and down the state. It deploys fast, so firefighters on the fire lines get 24 hour rest cycles that can keep them in the battle.

"We have a really good mutual aid system and a system in ordering resources, whether it's firefighters or any other kind of resource," said Mathisen. "It just may take time to get them there, but they're going to get there."

Traditional wildfire season ends in November, but last year it never ended for Southern California and the Northern region hired back seasonal firefighters in January. Cal Fire said it doesn't know what to expect this year.

Cal Fire said most wildfires are not known to the public, because local agencies keep them from growing more than 10 acres.