Engine 4 part of strike team led by Mountain View

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) Engine 4, which normally protects Sunnyvale’s east-central area, was deployed yesterday (Monday, October 22) to Magic Mountain as part of a five-engine strike team. The team, under the supervision of a strike team leader from Mountain View Fire Department, staged at Magic Mountain in Los Angeles County, before being committed early this morning (Tuesday, October 23) to the Ranch Fire. The strike team has been assigned to protect structures – homes and other buildings – from the fire.

As of Tuesday morning, CalFire reported the Ranch Fire, at more than 54,000 acres, was only 10 percent contained. The fire is burning six miles north of Castaic in Angeles National Forest and Los Angeles County, threatening Fillmore, Piru, Ventura and Ojai. Three homes and four outbuildings have been destroyed. Some 500 residences, 50 commercial properties and 50 outbuildings are currently threatened. More than 760 personnel are assigned to the incident, including 80 Cal Fire staff.

Sunnyvale firefighters routinely train every year to face wildland fires, just in case of deployments like this. According to DPS Deputy Chief Tim Carlyle, Engine 4, with its crew of Lt. Carl Rushmeyer and Public Safety Officers Stuart Glasgow, Kevin Rego and Brian Wilkes, is expected to remain in Southern California for a week. The crew may be replaced with other Sunnyvale firefighters after that time, if conditions warrant. During Engine 4’s absence, Sunnyvale emergency calls in Engine 4’s district are being handled by Engine 40 and a fully-staffed reserve apparatus, without any impact in service to the community. The state fully reimburses the City for costs associated with the mutual aid fire effort.