At 6:38pm Wednesday, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Firefighters responded to a report of a vegetation fire at Wells Road and Bethel Island Road in Oakley.
Fire Chief Hugh Henderson, who was in the area, arrived on scene shortly after the report to find a half-acre of brush, blackberries and trees on fire.
A Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Helicopter was in the area and assisted the District with water drops.
Photo by NicknKathleen Turk
By 7:00 pm, Chief Henderson request a third unit (Engine 59 of Discovery Bay) to respond to join Engine 93 (Oakley) and Engine 52 (Brentwood) who were already on scene. A few minutes later, he requested two units from CONFIRE who sent crews from Stations 81 and 88 to respond.
By 7:43pm, Chief Henderson requested mutual aid which sent another two engines from CONFIRE (Stations 83 of Antioch and 85 of Pittsburg). PG&E was also requested who shut off power to 50 customers for several hours as a precaution so firefighters could work safely on scene.
The cause of the fire is unknown and crews remained on scene all night as a precaution. No injuries were reported.
According to Chief Henderson, all District engines were committed with CALFIRE providing a cover engine to handle 4-calls. The District needed to request mutual aid for a vehicle fire that started a vegetation fire on Deer Valley south Balfour Road in Brentwood due to the lack resources. That fire came in around 10:20 pm.
3 comments
So because Brentwood Discovery Bay and Oakley residents are cheap as hell Antioch and Pittsburg residents suffer with our engines saving their butts over $100. CONFIRE needs to stop sending resources over that cannot be returned.
I believe ConFire recently cut service to East Contra Costa Fire. Some thing to do with mutual aid or one of those coverages. MIke do you remember?
When did the Sheriff helicopter start dumping water for fires? Why does this district need an assistant fire chief before reopening stations? Why is the district spending 125k for upgraded computers on each engine? Why ask why because this district is in need of reorganization starting with an elected board.
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