AN IOWAN HAS FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEMS FIREFIGHTERS IN CALIFORNIA ARE FACING AS WILDFIRES RAPIDLY CONSUME HOMES AND PROPERTY.
RYAN SCHLATER WORKS IN THE IOWA D-N-R’S WILDFIRE PROGRAM AND WAS ON AN ASSIGNMENT IN CALIFORNIA BACK IN JULY.
LAFIRE1 OC….IT GOT BIG” ::17
SCHLATER SAYS A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS HAVE COMBINED TO MAKE THE CURRENT FIRES VERY TOUGH TO FIGHT.
LAFIRE2 OC……..TOWARDS L-A” :17
ALL THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS CREATE A LOT OF ISSUES FOR FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL, ALONG WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND LOTS OF VEGETATION.
LAFIRE3 OC………THEY DON’T DO IT” (2X) :22
SCHLATER SAYS THE HIGH WINDS PUSH THE FIRES TO ALL THE VARIOUS FUEL SOURCES.
LAFIRE4 OC….ON FIRE” :18
HE SAYS A FIRE MOVING THIS FAST MAKES IT TOUGH TO FIGHT EVEN FROM THE AIR, BECAUSE BY THE TIME THEY GET READY TO DROP ON A SPOT, THE FIRE HAS MOVED SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS FROM WHERE THEY WERE CALLED IN.
SCHLATER HAS BEEN FIGHTING WILDFIRES FOR 20 YEARS AND SAYS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN A PLACE HE NEVER WANTED TO GO TO BECAUSE OF ALL THE DANGER WITH THE TOUGH CONDITIONS THERE.
Radio Iowa/Photo from Ryan Schlater
