Fire Officials Playing Chess Match Against Mother Nature
REDDING (CBS SF) -- There is nothing easy or simple about the battle being waged against the 16 major wildfires raging throughout California.
It's a delicate chess match of moves and countermoves by firefighters against Mother Nature.
"We have been seeing extreme fire conditions early in the year," said Cal Fire Chief Ken Pimlott. "In past decades, we may have seen fires like we are seeing now in August or September. We are routinely seeing fires reach 100,000 acres several times in one month."
Pimlott said Cal Fire officials are in constant contact with their counterparts in other states moving around resources -- particularly the air tankers.
"It's a very dynamic process, moving aircraft and resources from fire to fire and sharing those critical resources not only in California but with our partners in other states who are also experiencing some difficult, difficult conditions," he said.
Part of that master plan is mutual aid. Along the firelines in Shasta, Lake and Mendocino counties you are likely to encounter fire crews wearing patches from San Diego to Eureka. But it's just not crews from California.
"We are engaging in support from 17 other states as far away as Maine and Florida," Pimlott said.
And reinforcements are also on the way from other counties.
Australia and New Zealand are sending 146 firefighters and fire managers to help their counterparts in the Western United States. The U.S. National Interagency Fire Center said Wednesday it requested the help because its resources are stretched thin.
The two countries are sending supervisors, safety officers, heavy equipment and helicopter managers, helicopter crew members and structure protection specialists.
They're expected to arrive at the interagency fire center in Boise, Idaho, late this week and then be deployed after a one-day orientation.
This is the seventh season since 2000 that Australia and New Zealand have sent firefighters to the United States. The U.S. sent firefighters to Australia in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
