Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Temecula fire chief credits fuel reduction, hydrants and partner agencies for quick containment of small city fires
Summary
Temecula Fire Chief John Crater reported multiple July incidents including a 4–5 acre 'Samantha' creek-bottom fire, credited prior creek fuel-reduction work and available hydrants for helping crews contain flames and prevent structure losses. He urged ongoing fuel reduction and community home-hardening.
Temecula Fire Chief John Crater told the City Council that the department responded to 865 calls in July, including 21 fire-related incidents, 643 medical emergencies and 66 traffic collisions, bringing the city's year-to-date total to just over 6,000 calls.
Crater described a small but significant grass-and-brush fire in the creek bottom — the Samantha incident — which he said burned about four to five acres on Aug. 4 and was contained after several hours. “We had 16 engines responded to this 4 acre fire in the Creek Bottom with 2 battalion chiefs and 1 division chief,” he said, adding that the department still received sufficient resources despite concurrent larger incidents elsewhere in Riverside County.
Crater credited recent fuel-reduction work and the availability of hydrants in the creek area for preventing structure loss. “It just so happened having a water supply down in there that that we could hook up to and use, without having to put equipment down in there was valuable,” he said. He thanked Rancho Water, Riverside County Flood and other partners for clearing brush and creating defensible space that allowed firefighters to deploy hose lines and stop the fire before structures ignited.
He warned that fires are likely to continue and urged community preparedness and home-hardening. “Fires aren't going away anytime soon,” Crater said, and he encouraged residents and HOAs to reduce fuels and follow Cal Fire guidance on defensible space and home hardening.
Council discussion praised cross-agency work and the council's prior investments in fuel management. Councilmember Ron thanked staff and partner agencies and said the incident demonstrated the value of prior fuel-reduction work. Crater said the department plans continued outreach to HOAs and the public on defensible-space practices.
Ending: Crater closed by emphasizing continued education and partnerships to reduce wildfire risk and by thanking the city's public-information staff for timely messaging during the incident.
