READER RANCH, Calif. April 29, 2025 – Today, CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit (NEU) held their annual crew preparedness exercise at Reader Ranch on the San Juan Ridge. Washington Ridge, Placer Fire Crew, California Conservation Corps and Cal Guard crews submitted to the annual test to demonstrate their readiness for peak fire season.
Tool out, shelter deployment, a 4-mile hike with a 40-60 lbs pack in steep, rugged terrain and finally cutting line were the four stations each crew had to complete.
Chief Brian Estes, the Unit Chief for NEU, explained. “We do this all across the state with all of our hand crews that are qualifying as Type One, which is the highest level of fire crews that we have in our department. Just a great interagency event out here. We have obviously our agency, we have our partners with California National Guard, California Conservation Corps, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation who all partner with us to run our hand crew program.”
Operations Section Chief Kenneth Fallersack explained the shelter deployment procedure while a Washington Ridge Crew completed that portion of the exercise.
Chief Estes also reflected on the metamorphosis of CAL FIRE’s firefighting capabilities. “Just thinking outside the box as an agency, primarily in our aviation assets, we’re seeing the implementation of our heavy air tanker fleet, the C130s, which is just going to be a game changer for fixed wing aircraft. It’s never, ever going to replace our initial attack capabilities of our S2s like we have here at the Grass Valley Air Attack Base at the Nevada County Airport. But it’s just a force multiplier and we’re really fortunate in this area to have McClellan, our big jet air tanker base down there that is just a hop skip and a jump away. Our fixed wing fleet is, I would say, the premier firefighting fleet in the world right now. You couple that with a complete investment in the refurbishing of our rotary wing or helicopter fleet – going from our venerable Type 2 Huey helicopters that have flown for 20 plus years to S70 I Blackhawk nightflight-capable, thousand gallon fixed water tank, very powerful, very safe, transporting a crew of six to seven to the fire, and that is as well a game changer.”
One of the FireHawks will be stationed at the Truckee Airport , two S2 air tankers and one Air Attack will be stationed at the Grass Valley Air Attack Base, starting in June.