LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Exercises in Moraga train area firefighters and reduce flammable fuels


Photos Sora O'Doherty

In late June a controlled burn at the John Muir Land Trust's Painted Rock property in Moraga served the dual purpose of reducing fuels that might feed a wildfire and providing an opportunity to train firefighters from around the Bay Area. Moraga-Orinda Fire District Battalion Chief Steve Gehling was the incident commander.

Moraga residents were warned that they might smell or see smoke during the exercises June 21-24. Bystanders came from as far as Walnut Creek, from where they could see the smoke.

The exercises started at 10 a.m. and concluded no later than 5 p.m. each day. According to Gehling, 10 MOFD firefighters were joined by 20 firefighters from East Bay Regional Parks, three from the Berkeley Fire Department, and four each from the Oakland Fire Department, the Military Ocean Terminal Concord Federal firefighters, and Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit.

The Fire District coordinated the training with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Fire Weather Forecasters at the National Weather Service to ensure the size and timing of the training burns would minimize smoke impacts on homes and smoke-sensitive sites in the area. As it happened, the conditions did not require rescheduling any of the training days.

Signs were posted cautioning motorists and bicycles of the additional fire equipment traffic and potential for reduced visibility along Moraga Road and Rheem Boulevard. As the firefighters set fire to the hillside starting at the top of the hill and coming down toward Moraga Road, one traffic lane was closed. Moraga Police Department cars were present to monitor the situation.