Two Imperial firefighters on California fire scene

    Two Imperial firefighters have experienced the California wildfires up close.
    Josh Burke was on his way home Tuesday after two weeks in California, and Kelsey Weiss just started his time on the scene there early this week.
    Burke was called in as a fire line medic to help out at the Slink Fire, two miles west of Coleville, California, as part of the Wilderness Medics Team out of Montana, he said. It was his first trip to a Type 2 Incident fire.
    Reported Aug. 29, the Slink Fire started in the Slinkard Valley, southwest of California’s Topaz Lake. Lightning sparked that fire that had burned 26,709 acres on Tuesday, but was 60% contained. Officials say it’s expected to be fully contained by next weekend.
    Burke said his job as a medic was “to be there for the firefighters.”
    He said he had been very close to the fire line, and was there as several towns were evacuated. He was attached for a time to the smoke jumpers and hot shots, he said.
    Burke works full-time as a flight paramedic with LifeNet, an air ambulance service in North Platte.
    Weiss is helping battle the huge Creek Fire near Fresno, California, which started Sept. 4 and is now the 12th largest in California history. It was only 18% contained on Tuesday and, so far, has burned 220,025 acres.
    According to the Forest Service, the Creek Fire cause remains under investigation.
    Weiss’ wife Kym said he flew out of Denver Sunday to Portland, Oregon, where a Lite Em Up Custom Burning truck was waiting. The crew drove to Sacramento Monday, and he started his first full day of firefighting Tuesday, she said.
    This is Weiss’ fifth assignment with Lite Em Up Custom Burning, Inc., a professional firefighting service based in Seward. He also fought one of the Colorado fires a month ago, as well as in California, Wyoming and Colorado last year.
    His wife said he was unsure how long he would be on the California fire.
    In addition to the acres burning in the Sierre National Forest, at least 602 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Creek Fire, and more than 11,000 are threatened, according to news reports. Officials say 30,000 residents of Fresno County and 15,000 residents of Madera County have been evacuated.
    Officials say the Creek Fire efforts are being hampered by thick smoke. It’s keeping airplanes and helicopters grounded and unable to help by dropping water and fire retardant on the flames, according to the Forest Service.
    Statewide, four of the 10 largest wildfires in California history are burning now in northern California.
    All of California’s national forests have been closed to the public.
    Weiss works for Troxell’s in Imperial, and is 2nd asst. chief with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department.
    Both men said they appreciated the time off given them by their employers.