Jun 9, 2009 4:35 pm US/Pacific
Firefighters Gear Up For Fire Season In Yuba City
YUBA CITY, Calif. (CBS13) ―
CBS13 went to the fire lines where local crews held a training exercise to prepare for this fire season.
Richards Ranch in Yuba City was chosen for fire training for two reasons – one because of controlled burns that gives the property owner a chance to clear out any unnecessary vegetation, and it also gives firefighters a lot of space to get back to basics before peak fire season begins.
More than 100 firefighters from Nevada, Yuba and Placer Counties try to hold the fire lines.
"This is stuff we do every day, this is our bread and butter so this is the most important part of our job right here," says one returning firefighter.
Late season rain could add fuel to this fire season, so firefighters say making training now is even more important.
"Instead of just having those light grasses, we now have real thick heavy grasses that is going to carry the fires," says one firefighter.
And with nearly 100 acres burning at Richards Ranch, it's also laying the foundation to get ahead of future fires.
"What we are getting here is we are creating a fuel break so the fire can burn up to it and give us a fighting chance to stop it," say firefighters.
And once today's live fire training burns out, firefighters will continue getting a refresher on the basics this week, but their safety guidelines training will take place inside the comforts of a classroom.
Also, by Monday all Cal-Fire stations will be fully staffed in anticipation of peak fire season.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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