Updated 1 p.m. Aug. 19, corrected 2:30 p.m. Aug. 21: Brush Truck 34 and its four UC Davis firefighters returned to campus Thursday (Aug. 15), leaving one staffer still contributing to the fight against the Park Fire until he returned Saturday (Aug. 17).

The firefighters aboard Brush Truck 34 were Capt. Kyle Dubs and Firefighters Gerrit Dykzeul, Emmet King and Shawna Mayo; they left campus Aug. 8.

Capt. Steve Dunn returned separately, and had been serving as a strike team leader since Aug. 9.

Cal Fire said this morning that the Park Fire was 53% contained and 429,000 acres. 

“Currently the fire is burning islands within containment lines,” the agency said. “Crews continue to work on increasing mop-up depth and removing hazardous trees to keep the fire contained. Fire suppression repair is ongoing throughout the affected area.”

Updated 11 a.m. Aug. 12: The UC Davis Fire Department sent an additional staffer to the Park Fire Friday (Aug. 9). Capt. Steve Dunn is serving as a strike team leader.

Meanwhile, Brush Truck 34 and its four firefighters could return to campus later this week, Fire Chief Nate Trauernicht said.

The Park Fire was 429,000 acres and 38% contained as of this morning, Cal Fire said.

“Incremental improvements in weather continue with slightly cooler weather and higher humidities are trending and will continue this week,” Cal Fire said. “Firefighters continue to construct direct and indirect lines for fire suppression in some areas as well as mop-up and fire suppression repair in others. Some parts of the fire are safe for repopulations while others are still in evacuation orders and warnings.”

Updated 11 a.m. Aug. 8: Brush Truck 34 made a quick stop on campus yesterday afternoon before returning to the Park Fire with a fresh crew of UC Davis firefighters.

Returning to campus after reaching their 14-day deployment limit were Capt. Paul Rush; Engineer Ryan Tooley; and Firefighters Chris Hay and Cara Martinez.

The new crew starting a fresh deployment on the Park Fire comprised Capt. Kyle Dubs and Firefighters Gerrit Dykzeul, Emmet King and Shawna Mayo.

King and Mayo are two of the newest career firefighters with the department, Fire Chief Nate Trauernicht said.

Meanwhile, the School of Veterinary Medicine’s California Veterinary Emergency Team, or CVET, ended its response to the Park Fire yesterday.

“After completing the last treatments of patients under CVET, new veterinary needs will now be managed by Butte County Animal Control and local veterinary resources,” Associate Director of Planning William Burke said.

Over the course of two weeks, more than 50 volunteers logged nearly 2,000 work hours helping with CVET’s response, Burke said. Information on the total number of animals treated is forthcoming.

The Park Fire has burned 427,000 acres and was 34% contained as of this morning, Cal Fire said.

“The fire continues to be fought with a strong and coordinated response from all our partners,” Cal Fire said.

Original article, published Aug. 6: UC Davis is lending a hand to help people and animals impacted by the Park Fire, the massive blaze that stretches across Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties.

1 firefighter returns

One member of the UC Davis Fire Department, Capt. Cess Mercado, returned to campus last night (Aug. 5) after serving for two weeks as a strike team leader trainee in the response.

A separate UC Davis Fire Department crew, aboard Brush Truck 34, has been fighting the conflagration since July 24 and is awaiting news on when it will return to campus, Fire Chief Nate Trauernicht said. That crew is: Capt. Paul Rush; Engineer Ryan Tooley; and Firefighters Chris Hay and Cara Martinez.

Veterinary response

At the same time, members of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s California Veterinary Emergency Team, or CVET, have been on hand to help treat evacuated animals. In their first week working out of trailers at two shelter locations in Oroville, they treated 100 small animals and 64 large animals, public information officer Eunah Preston said.

They have also gone on two veterinary calls in the field and have transferred one animal to the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Their response has comprised seven CVET staff members and 32 volunteers from the School of Veterinary Medicine, California Community Animal Response Teams, Napa Community Animal Response Team, Sacramento Zoo and California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps. Those volunteers have included veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants.

“The number of animals requiring veterinary care in the disaster shelters has significantly decreased,” said William Burke, associate director of planning for CVET. “Advanced planning has begun to look at downscaling, demobilization and transfer of veterinary care to local resources in the near future.”

Along with Butte County Animal Services, CVET is working closely with North Valley Animal Disaster Group, California Animal Welfare Association, or CalAnimals; and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA.

CVET was formed last year and expanded the school’s previous regional emergency response — through the Veterinary Emergency Response Team, or VERT — into a program with statewide reach.

Evacuations in 2 counties

Cal Fire said this morning that the fire was 414,000 acres — including 98,000 acres in the Lassen National Forest — and 34% contained.

“The fire is expected to continue to challenge crews until more favorable conditions arrive later in the week,” that agency said, adding that 640 structures had been destroyed.

Evacuations have been ordered in both Butte and Tehama counties.