Barona Vegetation Fire Draws Interagency Response

Barona- Just after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 8,2011, Lakeside firefighters were called to assist several other agencies with a vegetation fire that was burning at approximately the 8 mile marker of Wildcat Canyon Road on the Barona Indian Reservation.  There had been an initial dispatch for Cal Fire and Forest service units for a fire on Wildcat Canyon, and shortly after Barona Units were called to investigate smoke at the north end of the reservation.  

The view from the South as units approached the fire

The fire was quickly determined to be on the Barona Reservation so a medium wildland dispatch was put out for Heartland units to respond.  On the dispatch were Battalion 1, Brush 2, Engine 1, and Engine 3 (Lakeside); Battalion 8, Engine, Brush and Medic 27 (Barona); Brush 4 (Santee).

The Fire bumps Wildcat Canyon Rd.

As initial units were arriving on scene, the fire was only 1-2 acres but it was traveling at a moderate rate of spread across the light flashy fuels (light grass and annual growth shrubs) and heading towards the thicker vegetation that covered the rock-strewn mountainside.  Fire crews and aerial resources began attacking the flanks of the fire, which was moving along the hillside toward the west, being driven by topography and slight upslope winds. The fire also had a slight backing motion to it, spreading slowly to the east, where it would meet Wildcat Canyon Road.  Crews, including the Lakeside and Santee units, began arriving on scene and supplementing the hose lays that had been started by Barona Fire, Forest Service, and Cal Fire Units.

A Cal Fire Air Drop over Lakeside Engine 3

The Fire was quickly handled by the resources on hand and held to approximately 10 acres. In addition to the engine companies and aerial operations, both handcrews and a dozer were brought in to aid with the suppression operations.  This fire shows that the vegetation is drying out as the summer progresses.  We have steadily seen fire intensity increase over the summer as the fuel loads become more susceptible to fire spread.  This is a reminder that all people who own property in an urban interface area should continue to be vigilant about maintaining their defensible space.

A view from above the fire.

This fire, which was run under a joint Incident Command between Barona and Cal Fire with Lakeside Battalion 1 assigned as Operations Section Chief, is an example of how well the various agencies in San Diego County work with one another, especially in these urban interface areas.  It is due to the ongoing efforts by all agencies to train together and follow the same tactics and strategies during emergency operations that we can have crews from 7 different agencies all working together seamlessly completing an objective.  The training earlier in the year such as the San Diego County Wildland Drill, and the annual RT 130 Wildland Refresher Course are starting to pay their usual dividends in our inter-agency operations as we progress through the summer wildland season.

Story By:  Engineer/Paramedic Bernie Molloy
Photos By: Chief Ken Kremensky and Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Buzzell

Multi-Agency Confined Space Rescue Drill

Multiple agencies cooperating in the simulation

 A multi company, multi agency drill was held today in Alpine to prepare for possible confined space rescue operations involving construction crews working on the SDG&E Sunrise Powerlink. The event was hosted by SDG&E and the Alpine Fire Protection District. The two year construction project is well under way and will involve the underground routing of high voltage power lines along Alpine Blvd. The underground section of the Powerlink will span 6.2 miles from Alpine’s eastern boundary to its western border. The drill simulated the rescue of a worker injured in a fall located at the bottom of an electrical junction vault fifteen feet below the road surface. A rescue operation of this type is complicated by many possible hazards including; energized electrical equipment, tight access and egress, potentially dangerous air quality, hampered communication, working below grade and road traffic to name just a few. 

A specially trained Santee firefighter prepares to enter the underground vault.

To safely mitigate these hazards required the involvement of  two battalion chiefs, seven engine companies, one rescue unit, one confined space rescue trailer, one ambulance, technical assistance from SDG&E and PAR Electrical Contractors and traffic control personnel. A total of forty people were kept busy in various roles to complete the successful rescue of just one injured worker. Personnel and equipment were utilized from the cooperating fire agencies of Alpine, Lakeside, Santee, Viejas, Sycuan and San Diego Rural. Technical information and assistance was provided by experts from SDG&E and PAR Electrical Contractors which proved to be invaluable for the safety of the rescue crews. 

The injured worker (mannequin) hoisted from the vault

The simulated injury to the worker took place in an underground electrical vault measuring approximately 10’ wide by 12’ tall by 30’ long which will be used as one of many junction points for the 230 kV power lines that will run in conduit under Alpine Blvd. A total of forty junction vaults will eventually be set in place to complete the underground section running through Alpine. Today’s drill will be repeated two more times this month to give additional crews the opportunity to be exposed to this specialized rescue scenario that has the potential to play out in reality over the course of this project.  Important lessons learned today include the importance of cooperation between on scene construction experts and responding agencies as well as the continuing cooperation and training between the multiple fire agencies that will likely be called to this potential emergency.

Submitted by: Chuck Palmore, Lakeside Fire Captain