Capt. John Rodriguez, engineer Keith Hoyt and firefighter Adam Smith of Northshore Fire Protection District's Upper Lake station arrived home late Tuesday afternoon, said Fire Chief Jim Robbins.
The three men and an engine left for Butte County last Thursday as part of a strike team that included engines from Mendocino County, said Robbins.
Local fire resources were stretched too thin to send a full complement of five engines to the Humboldt, Robbins explained.
The Office of Emergency Services called Robbins on Sunday with requests for firefighters to go to the Whiskey Fire, but he didn't have anyone extra to send then, either. “Everybody was working or out of town.”
The Whiskey fire is burning in the Tehama County portion of the Mendocino National Forest. Cal Fire reported Tuesday night that the fire was 70-percent contained and had burned 7,783 acres near Paskenta.
Robbins said there are no other firefighting assistance requests currently. “Everything's kind of calmed down right now.”
Northshore Fire reported last week that this was the second time this year they had sent firefighters to an out-of-county fire. In May they went to fight the Summit Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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