Area firefighters in Northern California on multiple mutual aid assignments
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - Santa Barbara City firefighters are among the front line responders from the Central Coast now assisting fire crews in multiple Northern California fires.
Santa Barbara County crews have been at the Beckworth Complex fire in the Plumas National Forest at 105,000 acres and the Dixie fire in Butte County at 60,000 acres. It is east of Paradise.
Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Carpinteria and Montecito firefighters are working together. 22 are on the "strike team."
Santa Barbara City Fire Battalion Chief Mike Hoose is a Strike Team Leader trainee. He spoke by phone saying, "we are experiencing larger fires with more explosive growth, more aggressive fire weather and fire behavior."