July 2009

San Bernardino National Forest only one with two Skycranes

July 19, 2009

They were once used in Vietnam to recover downed aircraft or move supplies. Now they fly to the rescue when brush fires break out in the region. The San Bernardino National Forest boasts two of the the 30 Skycranes in the world. The largest firefighting helicopter is used on initial attacks and has already been [...]

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747 Jet hedges past DC-10 to be biggest firefighting air tanker

July 19, 2009

The region’s aerial firefighting fleet has a new big shot. A Boeing 747 jumbo jet was certified with Cal Fire in early spring and officials hope to test the Supertanker on a wildfire this summer.”In the U.S., it’s currently the largest air tanker in terms of capacity,” said Cal Fire Deputy Director Chief of Fire [...]

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Oakland fire union agrees to contract in face of budget crisis

July 19, 2009

OAKLAND — The union representing Oakland firefighters voted 335-64 in favor of a new contract that will freeze wages and increase the hours firefighters work as the city faces an ongoing financial crisis, the union’s president said this week. The city relied heavily on concessions from city workers to try to balance its budget this [...]

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Fire consumes Canyon Lake Towne Center building

July 19, 2009

Eight businesses were destroyed Friday morning when flames tore through a commercial building at the rear of the Canyon Lake Towne Center. The blaze erupted about 5:28 a.m. and burned from the west end of the building through a common attic to the other businesses, sending up flames and smoke about 100 feet, fire officials [...]

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Two Found Dead after Huntington Beach Apartment Fire

July 19, 2009

Huntington Beach (myFOXla.com) – Two men were found dead Sunday in a fire at a Huntington Beach apartment that may have been started by a barbecue pit, although the cause of the blaze was under investigation, a fire official said. The bodies of Travis McCarthy, 25, and Matthew Danihels, 29, both of Huntington Beach, were [...]

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Could Riverside County form its own Department and end contract with Cal Fire?

July 17, 2009

A recent grand jury report says Riverside County could save money by forming its own fire department and ending its contract with Cal Fire — a step San Bernardino County took 11 years ago. San Bernardino County fire officials say the split from the state fire department saved money and increased efficiency, but some Riverside [...]

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Firefighters contain five-alarm Menlo Park blaze

July 17, 2009

Firefighters battled a five-alarm fire Thursday night at a structure containing three townhouses at 15 Susan Gale Court in the Sharon Heights neighborhood of Menlo Park. The fire, reported at 5:11 p.m., looked to be contained by 7:15 p.m. More than 50 firefighters, including crews from Redwood City, Woodside, Palo Alto and San Mateo, as [...]

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Rialto Fire Department to get pink slips and possible plans to close Station 202

July 15, 2009

RIALTO – The Fire Department anticipates between six and 15 pink slips will be handed out some time within the next week. City Administrator Henry Garcia on Wednesday informed the department of the move, initiated in the face of a $4.8 million budget shortfall. “I think the economic forecast reflects that fire service agencies (across [...]

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Off-duty San Bernardino County Firefighters help extinguish house fire

July 15, 2009

SPRING VALLEY LAKE • Three off-duty firefighters helped an elderly man put out a fire that destroyed his kitchen around 12 a.m. Wednesday, officials said. The elderly man, whose identity has not been released, returned to his home late Tuesday to his smoke detector blaring and kitchen ablaze, said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman for the San [...]

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Redding man found dead after apartment fire

July 15, 2009

A man in his 50s was found dead Sunday morning by firefighters who responded to calls that his north Redding apartment was ablaze. That fire, along with a small blaze that burned part of a restored historic bakery in Shasta State Historic Park, kept firefighters busy Saturday night and Sunday morning. Steve Scherban, 49, said [...]

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