State of California

Natural Resources Agency

Memorandum
To:

From:

Subject:

Region and Assistant Region Chiefs
Assistant Deputy Director, Coop Fire
Assistant Deputy Director, Operations
Unit Chiefs
Staff Chief, Coop Fire
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· s, Re ion Operations

D~e:

April 13,2018

Telephone: (530) 653-7772
Website: www.fire.ca.gov

yler, Deputy Director, Chief of Fire Protection
Sacramento Headquarters
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Fire Crew Minimum Staffing Levels

The Conservation Camps Program continues to experience a reduction of offenders to
staff our fire crews. Current statewide staffing averages are below 12 fire crew members
per crew. To ensure CAL FIRE can meet our operational objectives and Type 1 fire crew
production rates, I am establishing the direction below to maintain statewide fire crew
strength:
•
•

•

All CAL FIRE hand crews will be staffed with a minimum of 15 fire crew members,
not inclusive of the Fire Captain, Range B.
To achieve CAL FIRE hand crews staffed with a minimum of 15 fire crew members,
CAL FIRE conservation camps may need to temporarily down staff a fire crew until
such time that fire crew member population is available to staff the crew again with
a minimum of 15 fire crew members.
CAL FIRE conservation camps should make every effort to maintain a minimum of
four hand crews.

This direction is intended to maximize fire crew strength with the current number of eligible
fire crew members to staff fire crews. This direction does not eliminate any CAL FIRE
personnel positions assigned to the conservation camps and is not intended to
permanently reduce any of the 196 fire crews. As fire crew members become available to
staff additional fire crews, the Conservation Camps Program will work with the regions to
reinstitute fire crews.
Questions related to this direction can be referred through the chain of command to the
Conservation Camps Program Deputy Chief, Justin Sanders, at (916) 651-9180.
cc:

Ken Pimlott, Director
Janet Barentson, Chief Deputy Director

"The Department ofFores try and Fire Protection serves and safeguards the people and protects the property and resources of California. "