2014 fire season: ‘worst ever’ in S. County

Despite late-season rainfall that left southern Santa Clara County hillsides green, recent warming temperatures have firefighters on the lookout for an increased threat of wildfires in what’s being called the worst fire season in history.
According to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brandon Leitzke stationed in Morgan Hill, firefighters are ahead of schedule by about a month-and-a-half with a 30 percent increase in fire activity, echoing numbers enumerated by Governor Jerry Brown in a recent climate change conference where he said the number of wildfires statewide is well above normal.
“The burning conditions that we’re (usually) seeing in July and August, we’re seeing in May and June,” Leitzke said. “That’s a direct reflection of the drought(s) we’ve been experiencing.”
Leitzke’s comments come only days after the May 16 Croy Road fire west of Morgan Hill and in light of comments made by Brown that California is facing the worst fire season in history.
“All of the areas throughout the bay area are definitely a concern,” Leitzke said.
Heading into 2014, Leitzke said he expects fire activity to continue to be busy.
Eight Cal Fire engines were transferred to San Diego wildfire zones last week, and summer’s wildfire season could equate to more activity for local firefighters to be deployed out of town.
“The potential is there to be moving around quite a bit this year,” Leitzke said. “Which is typical for us for the summer, though.”
Firefighters from strike team 2303 representing municipal firefighters did not participate in the last bout of fires in San Diego.
Within Gilroy city limits, Colin Martin, Division Chief, Field Operations said that based on Cal Fire fuel readings typical of summer, the department remains on high alert for potential fires. Fire season for the City of Gilroy officially kicked off May 21, triggering a change from single- to four-engine standard response to fires.
Despite the high fire danger, 2014 hasn’t brought an unusual number of fire responses, “not really, not yet,” Martin said. “We’re anticipating it.”
Threat zones near Hecker Pass and Eagle Ridge toward Gavilan College remain areas of high concern in light of the increased threat for wildfires, Martin said.
Statewide, Cal Fire officials said California’s wildfire activity level has returned to above average, prompting the hiring of nearly 100 additional seasonal firefighters stationed from Shasta to Santa Cruz. Like the early-season wildfire danger, the move came several months earlier than normal.
“The rain in March was needed, but the drought continues to have a strong hold on California,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director in a past media release. “With temperatures back on the rise, so is the potential for large wildfires.”
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Scott Witt summed it up, “worst ever.”
Cal Fire continues to ask homeowners to ensure that they are prepared for wildfires by maintaining 100 feet of defensible space.
“Be diligent when doing outdoor activities that involve campfires and stoves or those type of things. Vegetation is a lot drier earlier (this) year than in years past,” Martin said.
For more information on fire prevention, visit sccfiresafe.org.