ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – Over 16,400 firefighters continue to battle 22-major wildfires in California.
Bay Area firefighters explain why they are gearing up for a longer fire season in 2020.
A battle against extreme wildfire behavior – That is how Bay Area firefighters describe this year’s fire season.
Video from the Glass Fire shows what firefighters are up against.
“The past few weeks our firefighters experienced extreme fire behavior due to the triple digits and the Red Flag Warning. The temperatures have been very high. Humidity has been very low. It’s been extreme fire weather. High winds. When this gets into the community it’s all bad,” Brian Centoni, with the Alameda County Fire Department, said.
Video was recorded by the Bay Area firefighter strike team including firefighters from Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, and Alameda County who are all preparing for the possibility for these conditions to continue for the remainder of the fire season.
“This season has ramped up early this year. We’re just getting into October. We’re just getting onto November. They’re people saying that this fire season may go through November, maybe into December,” Oakland Fire Battalion Chief James Bowron said.
This weekend there is rain in the forecast but will that help firefighters on the frontlines?
“Yes and no. It’s good that it is going to hamper the activity of the fire itself. The north end of this particular fire, the Glass Fire, very steep terrain, very hazardous conditions. Our dozers are cutting roads and trails in the dirt, which turns into mud instantaneously, which is very hazardous for our equipment and footing as well,” Cal Fire spokesperson Scott McLean said.