By: Jeff Birchfield
County Fire Strike Teams 6270C and 6271C
Photo: Troy Branam
Summer 2014 Experience
Grounds for Change
By: Dave Burkart, Local 935 Chaplain
A common saying in the fire service each summer is, “It’s going to be the worst fire season ever!” To
put that saying in perspective, I experienced a few days on a strike team in January when a fire burned
in Glendora. It was my first time in over 20 years experiencing days in fire camp in winter. It was also
my first time spending two weeks each at two strike teams in one season in Northern California.
“Higher Ground” is the name of a little coffeehouse formerly
located at Bear Valley and Hesperia Roads in Victorville. While
working the ambulance at Station 304 in the 1990s, Higher Ground
was a common stop for weary medics following a transport to
Desert Valley Hospital.
an Bernardino County Fire sent strike team 6271C to the French Incident
in North Fork, Calif., at the beginning of August. We spent about four days
on structure defense prepping structures in the Arnold Meadows area near
Mammoth Pool Reservoir before being re-dispatched to the July Complex near
Etna, Calif., where we worked on the Whites Fire. On our first shift there, we
were the only units assigned; fortunately this changed in the days to follow
as the fire grew. We worked the entire night that first shift—in extremely steep
terrain—establishing hoselays to protect the line and keep the fire from
threatening a historic mining area known as Rainbow Mine. We spent every
shift in the same vicinity, defending structures and holding the line. Our last
shift on the Whites Fire was spent in Sawyers Bar, where we prepped structures
for structure defense as a contingency plan if the fire was to reach the historic
mining community. Of particular concern was protecting the town’s Catholic
church, was built in 1855. We were given specific instructions to do ‘whatever it
takes’ to keep it from burning. With those instructions, Lake Arrowhead’s BE94
and its complement of Thermogel were deployed to protect the church. The
Thermogel was to be used only as a last resort. Our strike team was relieved
by a fresh crew on day 14; the new crew spent an additional week at this fire
before being released back home.
Betty, the owner, explained the origin of the name was two-fold: her love for coffee
and her even greater love for God. I doubt Betty would remember me, but I remember
her because she made “higher ground” her mission statement as well as her place
of business. She provided a place for fellowship for the faithful and non-faithful alike.
While the coffee was good—though a bit pricy—it was the people and the atmosphere
that kept me coming back. Higher Ground remained an outpouring of who she was
and what she stood for.
Betty carved out 11 successful years of business on these principles. Times and
places change, and Starbucks discovered the High Desert. The atmosphere of the
chain store is different, because their mission is different. This is neither bad nor good,
but it is not the same.
Photo: Mike Lange /Loudlabs News
Strike team 6270C was deployed in mid-September to the King Fire located
just north of Placerville, Calif. Our assignments were primarily in the same
division each day, and we became very acquainted with a compound of
structures known as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a bar built in 1864 and surrounded
by about 10 cabins. We spent our first day prepping the structures for
structure defense. We arrived here to find the owners preparing for fire to
come to the compound. The inside of the historic bar is lined with dollar
bills on the ceiling and walls, and the owner was attempting to remove
them in case the structure didn’t make it. We spent the entire shift getting to
know these friendly folks, and hopefully brought some comfort in ass