Denise Rockenstein — Staff reporter
LAKE COUNTY ? Ten California Conservation Corps (CCC) crews have been dispatched to wildfires in the Monterey, Shasta and Tuolumne counties, with more crews available to respond as needed.
Strike teams from each of Lake County”s fire protection districts have also been dispatched to assist in a 14,000-plus acre fire ignited by lightening in Shasta County.
The CCC crews, 142 corpsmembers, are from corps facilities in Chico, Fortuna, Redding, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Stockton and Yreka. The crews are providing logistical support and frontline attack for state and federal fire agencies.
According to Susanne Levitsky, CCC public information officer, in 2008, more than 800 corpsmembers, the largest number in CCC”s history, responded to wildfires throughout California. The CCC s a state agency hiring young women and men ages 18 to 25 for a year of natural resource work and emergency response. For more information on the CCC, visit the Web site at www.ccc.ca.gov.
Currently corpsmembers are assigned to the Ponderosa Fire in Monterey County; the Knight Fire in Tuolumne County; and the Brown Fire and SHU Fire in Shasta County. Additional crews may be dispatched in the need arises.
The Redding crew, trained in frontline attack, is assigned to the SHU Lightening Fire in Shasta County, which is where Lake County Strike teams were dispatched.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Web site, the SHU Lightening Fire in Burney area has been ablaze since Aug. 1. It is reported 28 percent contained with 14,504 acres burned. There is a total of 2,098 personnel, 175 engines, 56 fire crews, 18 helicopters, 28 dozers and 34 water tenders.
The complex consists of 40 fires and all but three are remain uncontained. A total of 120 residences have been threatened. Costs to date are estimated at $6.9 million.
According to Kelseyville Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Dave Carter, five Type 2 engines, one from each of Lake County”s fire districts, have been sent to the SHU Lightening Fire.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
