Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (ConFire) today announced it has reduced initial vegetation fire responses to a single fire engine because of recent precipitation.
The decision to reduce responses came last week after several soaking rains. The reduction signals the end of heightened fire danger, which was first announced on May 6. This year’s period of seasonal fire danger lasted 187 days, six days short of the previous year’s period.
Grass, vegetation and exterior fires increased by more than 10 percent across our district as compared to the previous year. Despite this increase, Contra Costa County fared reasonably well with fire service preparation and planning, resident participation, early reporting, rapid and overwhelming responses, and favorable weather patterns in recent weeks all making a difference.
Through November 11, during this year’s heightened fire danger period, the district dispatched crews to 1,718 grass, vegetation, and other exterior fires, a 12 percent increase over 2021. The vast majority of this year’s fires were held to less than 10 acres. The previous year’s total dispatches for the heightened fire danger period were 1,528.
Did Cal Fire make this decision ?
Have they reduced their response levels?
Have the seasonal firefighters been let go by Cal Fire?
It was nice to not have a month of wildfire smoke this year.