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It is four thirty in the morning and the August Complex fire camp rumbles with sounds.

Firefighters come and go in the predawn darkness, their boots smacking on the hard ground.  Generators hum noisily, providing electricity to the lights that penetrate the smoky darkness.  Laundresses crawl out of their tents to work the 5 am shift.  The kitchen staff has been up for hours preparing a hot breakfast.

fire engines in morning light, August Complex 2020 Eel River California image by Teresa Sigmon

 

Each incident command post, commonly called “fire camp”, is its own little city.

The post has showers, food, medics, lodging, laundry and much more; providing all the necessities to the people temporarily living in the camp.  The command post runs on a highly-efficient but grueling schedule, with little time to rest.

helicopter fire support August Complex 2020 Eel River California image by Teresa Sigmon

 

Fire-fighting helicopters, bull dozers and other heavy equipment fire support fill the camp.

For Teresa, working at fire camp is a “fun” job that allows her take a break from technology and feel like she contributes to a greater good.

She worked California fire support several times over the past few years at the Salmon-August Complex, the Tubbs fire, and the Camp Fire in Chico, California.

This year, when she got the opportunity to work at one of the incident command posts for the August Complex, she jumped at the chance to go.

Teresa arrived at the Eel River fire camp near Garberville, California on September 16th.  Then she worked there for a few days before being transferred to Ukiah, California where she works laundry from 2pm – 11pm.

 

 What is the August Complex Fire? 

August Complex fire area command map
Map of the August Complex split into three zones.

 

The August Complex is a huge wildfire in northern California in the Mendocino National Forest. Currently encompassing 870,200 acres, the August fire complex is only 43% contained, and is not predicted to be fully contained until mid-November.

As of this writing, the fire is over a month old, having started on August 17 due to a lightning strike.

The August Complex is “the largest wildfire in California history.”  The fire is so large that it has been divided into three zones with separate incident command posts, with the fire camp in Ukiah acting as headquarters. Click here for more detailed information and updates on the fire.

fire engines morning meeting, August Complex 2020 California image by Teresa Sigmon

 

 What Does Teresa Do While Working Fire Support? 

Teresa’s job at the August Complex fire camp is doing laundry. Yep, I’m not kidding!

Firefighters and all the support teams needed to run fire camp generate a huge amount of dirty laundry. Each Cal-Fire incident command post has a laundry crew. Generally, the laundry workers have eight or nine-hour shifts each day.

Doing laundry at fire camp is not quite as easy as doing laundry at home. The laundry units are large trailers that run on generators. The water for laundry is stored in huge bags that can hold around 200 gallons of water.

Bubble lights at August Complex Fire camp in Ukiah, California image by Teresa Sigmon
Bubble lights run on generators offering both light and non-stop noise.  In the background are the mobile shower units.

 

These videos from the Chico fire camp in 2018 give a tour of a typical fire camp and explain how the mobile laundry units work.

To learn more about Teresa’s past experiences working at fire camp, go to her blog about the Salmon-August Complex and Tubbs Fire.

 

 

 

 

A normal day for Teresa at the August Complex means working a non-stop nine-hour shift from 2pm to 11pm.

She gets her meals at the dining area where breakfast and dinner are served for everyone.  A mobile shower units are also available for support staff staying in camp

Fortunately, instead of living in a tent, this year Teresa stays in her new camper van!  She bought the used van during the summer, then renovated it and outfitted it to be her new home away from home.

camper van enjoys the views of Mount Saint Helens
Teresa’s new camper van while hanging out at Mount Saint Helens.

 

For Teresa, doing fire support laundry is much more than just a job.  It is a small way to make an impact fighting against the forest fires that consume California every year.

So far over 3.5 million acres have burned in California this year, breaking the previous state record.  At least 26 people have died, and many more are missing or injured.  Unfortunately, this has been a bad year for wildfires not just in California, but in Oregon and Washington as well.

fire engines preparing for 24 hour day August Complex fire 2020 California Eel River
Morning briefing is over. Fire fighters prepare for 24-hour shift on the mountain.

 

For more fire camp photos, follow Teresa SewLikeAPro on Facebook or on teresa.sigmon on Instagram.

 

The author, Cassandra Sigmon, works as a content writer, copywriter, and support team member at Sew Like a Pro™.

 

 

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    8 replies to "Working The August Complex Fire Camp in California"

    • Marie Sardalla-Davis

      I am so moved by this. Such a great contrast between the ballroom competition scene and fire camp. Cassandra, thank you for your haunting poem.

      • Cassandra

        You’re welcome. Thanks!

    • Carmen Evans

      Bravo to you Teresa.

    • rick foy

      You are Super Woman! Thank you and everyone else at the camp, doing their share of grueling work.

      • Teresa Sigmon

        Thanks, Rick, but I don’t have a cape so I must not be THE Super Woman 😉

    • Barry Friedman

      Thank you for this update. Teresa is an angel. Great poem.

      • Cassandra

        Thank you!

      • Teresa Sigmon

        You’re awesome, Barry!
        The fire camp in Ukiah was going to close down and then the fire jumped through an area that was “under resourced” and it began spreading quickly again due to the high winds. Now, of course, Santa Rosa and several other fires have begun or spread. Much of the fire fighting crew that comes to laundry looks like they are are in shell shock 🙁 I’m glad you and Annie are safe.

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