Sacramento-area firefighters head to Floriston Fire as multi-agency response grows
Regional incident management team is preparing for at least a weeklong deployment near the California-Nevada state line
FLORISTON, Calif. —
A multi-agency team of firefighters and emergency personnel from the Sacramento region is deploying to help manage the Floriston Fire burning near the California-Nevada state line.
The Sacramento Regional Incident Management Team includes members from Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Sacramento Fire Department, Cal Fire and agencies in Amador and El Dorado counties, among others, according to Floriston Incident Management spokesperson Chris Vestal.
Vestal said discussions about a possible deployment began Wednesday afternoon. The team received official word around 4 p.m. and is expected to take over management of the incident at 7 a.m. Thursday.
The team will help develop incident action plans, establish a base camp and coordinate resources responding to the fire. It is also responsible for logistics such as food, supplies, equipment and sleeping accommodations for firefighters.
Vestal said large wildfires in rural and remote areas can require resources beyond what local agencies have available, making California’s mutual aid system critical during major incidents. Fresh crews arriving Thursday will also allow firefighters who have been working the fire to rotate out and rest.
The team is preparing for an extended deployment.
“We’ll be out there for probably at least a week,” Vestal said.
Crews will receive a briefing on the fire, weather, terrain and safety concerns before beginning their assignments.
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