Briceland Volunteer Fire Department

On Wednesday, October 29, the Briceland Fuels Crew joined Cultural Fire practitioners from Native Health in Native Hands and Hybrid Indigenous Stewardship to burn dozens of piles at the Southern Humboldt Community Park. They were supported by members of the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association and the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District.

It was ideal weather to burn this cured and dried material under the beautiful stands of oak and pepperwood trees. After burning down, the ash from the piles was gently hand tilled into the moist soil interspersed with small chunks of carbon to provide essential nutrients and material to the soil.

This work is part of an ongoing effort to restore N’shong Konk’—Good Fire—to the region, reviving traditional fire practices that help rebalance local ecosystems. The project reflects a broad collaboration among Wailaki community members, Cultural Fire practitioners, landowners like those at the Community Park, volunteer fire departments, fire professionals, and county and state partners. Funding for this ecological restoration and workforce development project was granted through the Humboldt Co. Resource Conservation District.

Local Humboldt Co. fire resources again answer the call with a new deployment, this time a bit closer to home. On Wednesday, August 27th T/F 2075 was assigned to Dillon Fire just to our north in neighboring Siskiyou County. L to R in the photo, Briceland E5436 joined Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department E7434, Humboldt Bay Fire E8136, Redway Fire Protection District WT5862 and Shelter Cove Fire Department E5116 on our first Task Force assignment. Arcata Fire Chief W. Peabody is the Task Force leader and Shelter Cove Fire Department Chief Pape is T/F leader Trainee.

A Task Force differs from a Strike Team in that the resources are not all the same type. The combination of various types of fire apparatus can give added flexibility and independence to the team. In this case, the addition of Redway’s Water Tender ensures a constant water supply to the other four Type 3 wildland engines that are currently engaged in structure protection in the rural communities adjacent to the fire.