El Centro, Ca. – July 29, 2024 – The City of El Centro has deployed eight personnel to Strike Teams throughout the state this past weekend.
On Saturday, July 27, 2024, El Centro Fire Chief Joseph Bernal was deployed as a Strike Team leader, with other Imperial County and Yuma Fire Department personnel, to the Park Fire in Butte County. Also, on Sunday morning, July 28, 2024, El Centro Fire Battalion Chief Brad Chapin was deployed as a Base Camp Manager for one of the two base camps established for the Park Fire.
The City also sent three firefighters to the Lightning Complex Fire (previously known as the Borel Fire) in Kern County with a Type 6 vehicle Sunday morning, July 28, 2024. Another ECFD Type 3 crew, with three firefighters, had previously left Thursday morning to the same Lightning Complex Fire, but in a separate Strike Team.
According to the Cal Fire website, the Lightning Complex Fire has burned more than 85,000 acres and is 33 percent contained as of Monday morning. It is burning in Kern and Tulare counties. The Park Fire has burned more than 368,000 acres and is 12 percent contained as of Monday morning. It is spread to Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama counties.