El Centro Firefighters Deployed to Wildfire Incidents in Northern and Southern California

El Centro firefighters deploy to Northern California with a Type 6 engine to assist in the Orleans Complex wildfire.

EL CENTRO — The El Centro Fire Department has deployed personnel to two active wildfire incidents across the state as part of regional strike team operations.

The first deployment involves a Type 6 Strike Team, which includes resources from El Centro, Holtville, Calipatria, Big Pine, and Escondido. The team left the Imperial Valley at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 15, and safely arrived at the Orleans Complex Fire in Northern California on Wednesday night. The fire, burning in Del Norte and Siskiyou Counties, is estimated at 10,052 acres with 0% containment as of Wednesday morning.

Strike Team members began their initial 12-hour operational shift earlier today and will remain on assignment until further notice. Among the personnel deployed are three El Centro firefighters operating the department’s OES Type 6 unit. El Centro Battalion Chief Eduardo Ainza is serving as the Strike Team Leader Trainee for this mission.

In a separate deployment, a second team was dispatched to the Dale Fire in Riverside County. The Type 3 Strike Team, composed of resources from Region 6—including Holtville Brush 36—departed at approximately 3:00 a.m. Today. Upon arrival, the team attended an initial briefing at 7:00 a.m. and was assigned to operational duties shortly thereafter.

El Centro Battalion Chief Andrew Miller is serving as the Strike Team Leader for the Riverside deployment. The Dale Fire is currently estimated at 1,072 acres and is 25% contained.

Both strike teams remain active and will continue firefighting efforts in their respective regions as conditions evolve.