Just like in the Butte Fire in Calaveras County, the Detwiler Fire has so overwhelmed Cal Fire that the total acreage is now 70,096 and is only 10% contained (that which has already burned).45 homes are now destroyed, 6 damaged and 1500 more threatened. Evacuation orders continue to spread along Hwy 49. Avoid the area! Hwy 49 is now blocked at the CalFire station outside
Mariposa!
California is being devastated by fire that many believe should be extinguished immediately, but someone holds back from making extreme attacks and they area allowed to blow up and this is killing California!!
Something needs to change about the way CalFire handles firefighting!!! The smoke alone is damaging the state. Tourists at Lake Tahoe can't breathe safely. Calaveras County is inundated by smoke with people's eyes burning. STOP this nightmare!!!
23 comments:
I think its time to get rid of the bureaucracy that is Calfire and hire a professional firefighting team. This isn't working!!
Anonymous, you hit the nail on the head. Cal Fire is a top heavy, money sucking agency. They need to attack the fire immediately. Instead they let it grow to pad their pockets with overtime, as homes burn. People think they are heroes. They're a bunch of prima donnas with designer sunglasses. I agree, contract with professional firemen.
All I know about it is that my brother-in-law loves being in the fire camps. He's a teacher and can hardly wait for summer so he can go sleep out away from the wife, hang with the guys and do some firefighting. And he loves the money.
Why do you think more people don't DARE criticize CalFire or other authoritarian government agencies? FEAR...that they will allow your home to burn or worse. And Calfire employees are not the ones we knew many years ago.
Of course, I remember when it was all volunteer and there was NEVER a fire that went bezerk like now.
The firefighters on the engines are not the problem. The Incident Management Team set the priorities for equipment and extinguishment. The IMT are the generals, engine companies are foot soldiers who would in most cases be in their home stations protecting their communities.
I am sure CAL FIRE is open to suggestions as to how they can improve their service to taxpayers f California. If you have 'specific' examples of the ways and means towards that end, feel free to share here. Otherwise, I am grateful for the service they provide. Having spent ore than a few summers pulling hose up and the hillsides of this state, including Mariposa and Calaveras counties, I guarantee you the money is not enough motivation on its own to get the caliper of people willing to do that back-breaking work in 100+ degree weather. Yes, I'm a retired CAL FIRE employee, and proud of it!
The Media portrays Cal Fire as heroes. The Media doesn't report how many times they are in the station on a three day shift with no calls. The Media doesn't research that Cal Fire Captains can earn $130,000+ and really only have to work during the Fire season for three months. The Media doesn't report that they are fed well and stay in hotels while on a fire. All while only working 12 hour shifts and paid for 24 hours. Why doesn't California use the Conservation Corp? They use inmates, so it doesn't take brains or high pay. The Feds sleep on the ground in sleeping bags, no hotels. Cal Fire is an expensive agency and needs to be revamped.
Why don't people criticize Cal Fire? We're all taught Fireman are heroes, but most don't see what goes on behind the scenes. Including prostitutes used at the Cal Fire academy.
Thank You!
I have grown up in the area on fire and a very dear family member is a CalFire guy! The thing he despises most is politics1!!! The fire fighters on the ground are working extremely hard and most of the guys in the area have emotional attachment to Mariposa!!! Instead of being part of the problem and judging these guys who are away from their families right now hoping they are safe...be part of the solution to the problem and ask how you can help! Support these guys working hard to stop the raging fire! GO CALFIRE KICK SOME BURNING TAIL we are counting on you!!!
This is one of the best discussions on both sides, that I've ever seen of CalFire. But you are forgetting something.
I used to work for a utility company, budgeting. Every year, we would bulk things up, to claim we needed more money in the budget for the following year.
Hence, the more big fires at CalFire this year, the more money they can claim they will need next year. I've seen it over and over again. Money and politics create CORRUPTION!!
We should have more prisoners working on fire breaks and fighting these fires $57,000 a year to keep them locked up per inmate. Make them earn it.
The firefighters are doing a great job protecting people's homes and property. The real problem is not allowing nature to take its course when naturally occurring fires start and letting them burn the dead trees and underbrush. Thank you liberals who believe they know better than Mother Nature.
I believe the calfire policy currently does extinguish fire asap. it's the usfsc that likes to 'manage' a fires direction. You can get your facts straight and apologize to the men and women that protect your state, at the lowest hourly rate on the planet.
Get a clue and understand what you are talking About before you write something like this. Calfire is extremely aggressive and you are mixing them up with the US Forest Service. You couldn't be more wrong.
Well Mr. NotaCalFirefan, do you have the proof of all your negative crap you have spouted, I think not I've been in the fire service for 48 years and have been along side of CalFire on many fires. For wildland fires there is no better than them, just look at how the U.S. Forest Service fights or rather manages fires. The $130,000 you say Captains make that is with OVERTIME. My wife retired from Cal Fire as a Captain in Law Enforcement doing fire investigation and fire prevention, and her regular pay was not even close to $130,000. So engage brain before putting mouth in gear.
Let's county them now; Lake County, Butte, Detwiler, and those are just recent. Of course there's Rim a USFS debacle. Something does need to change.
Who is this weird guy Strohmire? Why is he complaining to certain calfire people that the Sierra Sentinel refused to hire him because he was a fired CHP? What has he got to do with any of this?? He's a strange one, in my opninion.
You are absolutely right!
I agree!!!!!
I just have to say that I understand those defending CalFire, but you have to realize that I watched my home and those of my neighbors burn int he Butte Fire due to incompetence in management first on the Amador County side and then refusal to allow local people to help with their bulldozers, waiting and waiting for AIR attack! It's simply NO way to run firefighting. Something DoES need to change!!
That's some good reporting. High quality factual information. Crazy the writer isn't working for the Washington Post or BY Times. Really provides core information not only about the fire, but about the department fighting the fire.
There needs to be better land management and more logging to keep our forests healthy!
And how about some of our idiot elected officials, starting at the top! Control them and SAVE OUR EARTH!!!!
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