Veteran Firefighter: Rocky Fire Has ‘Most Extreme Fire Behavior I’ve Ever Seen’

Waterloo/Morada Fire Department’s strike team members just left the Rocky Fire and are waiting in a staging area in Anderson for their next assignment, which may be the lightning strike fires in Shasta county, said Waterloo/Morada Fire Capt. Jason Harper.

Officials in Clear Lake, Iowa, saw news coverage of the fire and wanted to help.

He’s the captain of a four-person “strike team” from the fire department in Vacaville, Calif. The team’s fire engine is now assigned to douse out any hot spots that could flare back up and send embers flying into unburned terrain during afternoon winds. Containment was at 50 % Friday night.

Cache Creek Winery, threatened when Rocky jumped Highway 20 on Monday, reopened their tasting room as soon as staff arrived Friday, not long after 10 a.m.

One ordered to evacuate was Brian Foster, who left his house for the second time in three years on Sunday night, along with his partner, mother and pets. The Advisory for Clearlake east of Highway 53 was also lifted. Evacuations are rampant, with thousands of residents displaced, and 43 homes destroyed. And even recently, prescribed – or intentionally set, low-intensity – fires have been resisted by locals.

“Crews are hitting it hard”, Gaeta said. A mop up crew rushed up the slope to stamp out any danger.

Almost 3,000 firefighters have worked to fight the fire, according to Cal Fire.

The fire that has been burning since July 29, is only one of 19 major fires burning across California.

“We’ve been holding the fire line, trying to improve the fire line”. We have to start coming to our senses.

Gaeta traveled to Lake County from Riverside, but he’s worked fires in the north several times over the past few years.

Rocky fire spokesman Mike Yeun said that most of the 2,913 personnel battling the flames are still working 24-hour shifts and remain motivated to reach full containment by Thursday. Gaeta refrains from firm dates.

“I just thought ‘Oh no. Oh no, ‘ ” he said. “It’s the “what if” factor”.