Adventure Fist
The Breckenridge Complex Fire and the Greenous LLC Fire Dozer
It was noon when the call came in for the Greenous LLC fire dozer. Greenous LLC, my brother’s land management company, maintains contracts with state and federal fire fighting authorities to assist in the event of wildfire emergencies. A quick load and we were en route to CAL FIRE’s Mariposa station to provide station coverage. Lightning storms up and down the western slopes of the Sierras have fire season in full swing. Mariposa is crowded with firefighters. Engines and trucks roar up and down the town’s streets, while local restaurants cater to the army of hungry firefighters. At 3 a.m. they had us mobile again. We were to respond to the Milano Fire in the foothills above Bakersfield.
Distant Smoke
Our destination is some 200 miles away. My job is simple; drive the pilot truck. I escort the oversize load down Highway 99 with my yellow light twirling the whole way. As we pass through Bakersfield and turn toward the foothills we see the smoke. It darkens the sky for thousands of feet above. Helicopters and planes circle the plume. As we approach our destination we drive through an already charred landscape. The wildfire had moved quickly through the dry grass hillsides. Finally we reach the drop point and unload. My brother gets to work, joining the other dozers and cutting fire line.
Hydration
This is where things slow down for me. It turns out there isn’t much for the pilot truck driver to do on a fire. Over the next few days I do a lot of sitting; sitting and eating. CAL FIRE supplies our food and drinks while we’re contracted, and apparently they’re accustomed to some big eaters. For lunch, a mountain of sandwich-filled bag lunches and Gatorade are at our disposal. Breakfasts are an all-you-can-eat buffet of eggs, bacon, waffles, cereal, and fruit; and it’s steak for dinner. Firefighters know how to eat.
The first night, while my brother is out cutting line by moonlight, I stay at the Milano Ranch, a local cattle ranch turned impromptu basecamp. The hayloft serves as my bed for the evening. Perched above the horse/bull pen, the sounds and smells of livestock make for an awkward nights sleep. The Milano Fire grows, joining two other lightning fires in the area; the Spring Fire and the Cottonwood Fire. The fires combine to form the Breckenridge Fire Complex.
The Breckenridge Fire Complex becomes an inter-agency fire. Firefighters from CAL FIRE, Kern County Fire, the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management work together to control the blaze. An official incident basecamp is setup in nearby Hart Park. The scene reminds me of a county fair. 451 fire personnel wander between the tents, trailers, concession stands, and porto-potties that scatter the park. Sadly, the ferris wheel is nowhere to be found. The remainder of the nights are spent atop picnic tables in the park.
In the end the wildfire is 100% contained, but not before burning 25,213 acres. The fire burnt for nine days and cost an estimated total of $7.4 million. My brother and I tug the Greenous fire dozer home. The Breckenridge Complex fire may be out, but this is California, and fire season has just begun.
Sunset
Basecamp at Night
