Even before local firefighters got on the ground to help crews battling the Highland Fire in Riverside County, preparations were already in the works to make sure there was enough coverage in San Diego County should there be a wildfire.
Capt. Brent Pascua with Cal Fire says around this time of the year, they try to make sure they are fully staffed.
"Peak staffing is normally what we'll put on during the hot summer dry months," he says. "That gives us extra crews, extra engines, and extra bodies to be able to move around the state and help out."
Pascua says in the last 24 hours, they’ve sent a couple of engines, bulldozers and seven hand crews to the Highland Fire. All of the personnel are assigned to different stations in the county.
And while the crews will be working in a different part of the state, Pascua says it doesn’t take long for them to adjust to their new surroundings.
"Riverside being so close its similar to San Diego, so it doesn't take much for everything to fall into place," Pascua says.
However, he adds this should serve as a reminder to us all about the importance of being fire ready.
"We can't let our guard down here in San Diego. Last week was cool and drizzly, and this weekend and this week is hot and dry, and we have fire weather. It's year round and we have to stay on top of it," the Cal Fire captain says.
