Mother Lode Firefighting Contingent Grows In Southern California

Sonora, CA — Stanislaus National Forest Spokesman Pat Kaunert joined the list of Mother Lode residents involved in the southern California firefighting effort.

Kaunert is stationed at the Riverside Operations Center which he describes as the nerve center of the entire management operation. Kaunert stated that he is extremely impressed at how professional all the involved agencies are in working together toward the singular goal of extinguishing the fires that have scorched more than 700 square miles.

Kaunert added that all personnel are elated that the Santa Ana winds which whipped the fires into a frenzy the first couple of days have now, for the most part, subsided.

Sonora Fire Chief Mike Barrows and his strike team are situated in the Running Springs area of the San Bernardino National Forest. When deployed Monday Barrows and his crew were originally assigned to the Malibu area but were redeployed Wednesday to Running Springs.

Yosemite National Park´s Spokesperson Adrienne Freeman is serving as a public information officer in the Lake Arrowhead area. Fellow Spokesperson Scott Gediman stated that Freeman was initially devastated by the destructive powers of Mother Nature.

Gediman says Yosemite has sent a helicopter, one fire engine, several bulldozers and approximately 40 personnel to assist in fighting the fires that have already caused $1 billion in damages in San Diego County alone.

Written by Bill Johnson