Preparing For A Drought-Stricken Wildfire Season
Dore Bietz with Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services, Chief Nick Casci TCU Cal Fire Unit Chief-Tuolumne County Fire Chief
Sonora, CA — It’s that time of year again as we prepare for another fire season.
The dry conditions in the Mother Lode could create a busy season, which is why preparing is so important. That is the topic of this weekend’s Mother Lode Views with guest Dore Bietz with the Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services, Chief Nick Casci with TCU Cal Fire Unit Chief/Tuolumne County Fire Chief and Capt. Dave Vasquez with the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office. They will discuss the importance of defensible space around homes and how seniors can get help with that work, family evacuation planning, and the different types of evacuation.
One concern that had been facing CAL Fire was a possible staffing shortage. Increased state funding has helped that situation. Chief Casci updated, “Going into this fire season, which includes 22 additional firefighters to be spread out through the 22 front line engines we have between both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties. An additional firefighter hand crew will be out of the Sonora fire center, right across from the fairgrounds. And then, an additional exclusive-use type I helicopter will be located at Columbia Air Attack Base that will respond, in addition to our CAL Fire Hawk, to wildland fires not only for use in the unit but statewide. “
Mother Lode Views airs Saturday and Sunday morning at 9:30 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Mother Lode Views can also be heard Sunday morning at 10 o’clock on 93.5 KKBN and at 9 a.m. on STAR 92.7.
For our extensive audio archive of past interviews on Mother Lode Views, click on the “More” tab and on “Mother Lode Views” or keyword: mlviews.
