Alameda fire crews deployed all over California, AMP responds to restore electricity to victims of Carr Fire

Both Alameda firefighters and field crew members from Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) are assisting in fighting the fires that continue to devastate California. 

Four Alameda firefighters are aboard Engine 296 as part of the state of California’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) strike team. The City of Alameda received this engine from the state late last year. Those firefighters aboard Engine 296 were fighting the Cranston Fire, burning in Idyllwild in Southern California where it is now almost 60 percent contained. On July 29 Cal OES sent Engine 296 to the help fight the fires in Mendocino County, including the Ranch and River fires. 

Alameda Engine 501 with four firefighters is helping fight the Carr Fire in Shasta County. They were deployed on July 27. Crewmembers from AMP are also at the Carr Fire. They are helping restore power to major power lines, power poles and generating facilities that the Carr Fire has severely damaged.  

The AMP crew members left last Saturday for Redding to provide assistance as part of a mutual aid agreement under the Northern California Power Agency, of which AMP is a member. AMP crews expect to be in Redding for up to two weeks, framing and setting utility poles to allow the restringing of electric wire.

Alameda Fire Department (AFD) Water Tender 2 (WT-2) is still operating at the Ferguson Fire burning just outside Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County (“AFD Sends Tender to Ferguson Fire,” July 19 and “Alameda Firefighters Remain at Ferguson Fire,” July 26). WT-2 has been assigned to the Ferguson Fire since July 16. Two new Alameda firefighters have gone to the Ferguson Fire to relieve the two firefighters who went to the fire on July 16 and served there for two weeks.

In total, 10 members of the department have been deployed to assist with the wildfires burning in California, AFD reports. As of Aug. 2, these fires have taken the lives of four firefighters.