Fires rage across Northern California

Woodbridge Fire officials were plenty busy coordinating the entire county's mutual aid resources.

Though Stockton was the main focus earlier Tuesday when entire houses went up in flames, crews were soon desperately needed in Sacramento County northeast of Elk Grove near Sloughhouse.

Five engines, with a total of 20 fire crew members, were sent from San Joaquin County to Sacramento earlier Tuesday. The fire had been burning for hours but at 4:30 p.m. five more engines, containing 15 firefighters, were sent to the fire.

The engines went "code 3," with sirens and lights on, directly to Excelsior Road rather than to a staging area, Woodbridge Operations Chief Ken Harris said.

That fire, where a Sacramento fire captain was injured when winds suddenly swept flames the opposite direction, had burned more than 1,000 acres by 2 p.m. and continued to rage.

The California Highway Patrol closed Highway 16 between Bradshaw and Excelsior roads, and traffic was affected as far south as Calvine Road and east to Sunrise Boulevard.

San Joaquin County fire departments helping in Sacramento were: Liberty, Thornton, Lathrop/Manteca, Linden/Peters, Woodbridge, Ripon, Waterloo/Morada, Escalon, Tracy and Farmington.

Meanwhile, Woodbridge and Thornton crews were called periodically to fires along Highway 12 west of Interstate 5.

"Everything is so dry, just a Coke bottle can start a fire," Harris said, referring to the phenomenon where light hits glass and sparks a fire.

The Lodi Fire Department sent an engine with three firefighters to help cover a station while Stockton firefighters battled the blaze. The Lodi crew was kept busy with calls in the city, Lodi Fire Battalion Chief Ron Heberle said.

Also helping from Lodi was the Salvation Army, which sent a mobile canteen to Quail Lake Drive in Stockton. Crew members offered food and cold water to emergency crews, and the Salvation Army is also offering help to any victims.

Reader Feedback

HappyDays94 wrote on Jun 11, 2008 9:07 AM:

" I give it up to the fire departments, this is what they train for, this is what it's all about for them. To all you fire fighters KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!! SOME OF US REALLY APPRECIATE YOU! And hey buss owner, yeah people need to try and protect themselves, but what do you suggest? The way you sound is that it's always the peoples fault. What if they protect their property to the fullest and nature happens? What then, is the government still babysitting? "

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buss owner wrote on Jun 11, 2008 7:19 AM:

" so once again the government is to baby sit people. One CAN'T live in this valley to know we have ALWAYS had a high fire danger. Is it the fire departments fault or the residents. People need to learn to take care of themselves and not look to the government to always lookout for them.
How much do you think it would cost for the fire department to baby sit each resident that won't protect the property they live on or own. When it burns those people are the first to whine for help before ever trying to help themselves. "

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KenH wrote on Jun 11, 2008 6:28 AM:

" o.O if the City of Lodi Fire Dept is so worried about fire danger why is it that they only send a letter to the residence of a fire hazard (three feet dead long grass) but won't knock on their door to make them cut it? "

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