"TWICE THE CITIZEN"
USAR ORGANIZATIONS
Army Reservists Assist Forest Fire Fighting Efforts
by Mary Lou Scala, Fort Hunter Liggett Public Affairs Officer
FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. -- The largest forest fire in the history of California has engulfed more than 80,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest area north of Los Angeles since it first ignited in early September. Approximately 30,000 acres of Fort Hunter Liggett located adjacent to Los Padres have been consumed. Hunter Liggett personnel, both Army Reservists and Department of the Army civilians, have played key roles in assisting the U.S Forest Service in their efforts to contain and extinguish the fire.
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Smoke billows from the largest forest fire in California's history. About 30,000 acres on Fort Hunter Liggett have been consumed by the fire. (photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Allen, Fort Hunter Liggett.) |
The 25 members of the Fort Hunter Liggett Fire Department have been working along side the 500 plus fire fighters from around the country to control the fire. Hunter Liggett fire fighters have worked as members of Crash Fire Rescue Crews and have assisted with back burning efforts.
Employees from the Hunter Liggett Department of Public Works have operated bulldozers to create roads to provide better access to the fire. They have also assisted in building fire breaks to try and stop the fires from spreading. The Hunter Liggett Department of Plans and Training staff has briefed fire crews on the unique terrain and layout of the installation. They have also assisted fire crews in finding the quickest and safest routes to the fire areas.
Because of the mountainous terrain of the area, cellular phone service is not reliable. Hunter Liggett Directorate of Information Management personnel have run communication lines to the fire command center to improve communications inside and around the fire area.
The Tusi Heliport located on the base has proven an invaluable asset for the fire fighting efforts. By staging from Tusi, response time has been cut in half for shuttling smoke jumpers and medical personnel to and from the fire. Hunter Liggett personnel have been on-hand to provide fueling and maintenance support for the helicopters using Tusi.
Temporary housing has been provided at Hunter Liggett for fire crews. The community club, bowling center, recreation center and post movie theater have all been made available to the fire crews.
"The support we have been receiving from Fort Hunter Liggett has been outstanding," said Mr. Jeff Frazier, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service. "The Fort Hunter Liggett Fire Department’s part in suppressing this fire has been integral to our efforts to bring this fire under control."
The Forest Service presented Mark Hamelin, executive officer for the base, a plaque in appreciation of all the support and assistance provided by Hunter Liggett. The plaque was made from a piece of a redwood tree that was damaged during the fire.
Fortunately, the fires have damaged no buildings on Hunter Liggett and none are in immediate danger. Hunter Liggett, which falls under the control of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, serves as a training base encompassing approximately 165,500 acres and is one of the largest Army installations in the U.S.
Email Webmaster: webmaster@ocar.army.pentagon.mil Revised: October 15, 1999