 Ranch Road just one hilltop away from the populace and fashionable residential section of the Oakland Berkeley Hills. Yes we'll be right there thank you. Six engine we have a reported brush fire at Grizzly and Fish Ranch Road. On your way. Meantime the Oakland Berkeley and Orenda fire departments were coping with a flood type of cause from citizens who had spotted the blaze from their homes or from automobiles traveling on highway 160 driven by a northeast wind with a velocity that sometimes exceeded 50 miles an hour. The fire quickly spread up the slope, jumped the crest and began threatening home. Within minutes of the first alarm fire engines from Oakland and Orenda were on the scene. It was immediately apparent the help was needed in large quantities and needed facts. The call went out. In the next two hours men and firefighting equipment from communities throughout the San Francisco Bay area were grinding up the hill fighting their way over narrow, sneaky roads through clouds of smoke that turned midday into midnight. Eleven air tankers from the California Division of Forestry came in from neighboring air attack bases. The division had already dispatched 10 pumping units and three bulldozers soon after the fire was spotted. But all this was not enough. Houses along Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Marlborough Terrace, most of them surrounded by dense natural vegetation began bursting into flame. More help arrived in the form of engine companies and tankers from neighboring and from the California Office of Emergency Services. The state of California sent in 70 Conservation Camp Crewman, the infantry troops of any fire campaign. In spite of the handicaps of falling water pressure and traffic snarls in the narrow streets and dead-end roads, the fire was contained in the early afternoon. But not before 36 homes were leveled to smoking ruins, with 37 more severely damaged. But the Oakland fire was only a spark in what developed into a 13-day statewide holocaust. On the same day, more fires were erupting throughout the state, all the way from Riverside to Humboldt counties. Some were immediately controlled. Others spread to large size. As the fire pattern began to establish itself, the Division of Forestry headquarters in Sacramento set a well-oiled chain of machinery in motion. All days off, for forestry personnel were canceled. Men already away from their stations were recalled. The fire control office in the Sacramento Resources Building was staffed on a 24-hour basis. Similar preparations were underway at the San Francisco Office of the United States Forest Service, and at virtually every other wildfire fighting agency in California. Long-standing mutual aid agreements were put into use. News releases were prepared for all public media, advising of the suspension of burning and campfire permits in critical regions. Although the stage was set, the next two days were relatively quiet, but only by comparison with what was yet to come. Dozens of small fires started in widely separated areas and were quickly extinguished by fast initial attack from air and ground forces. On September 24th, only two fires continued to burn out of control. One at Sand Creek in Colusa County and the Clarks-Duke Monster in Humboldt County, which roared over 3,500 acres before being finally stopped. Then on Friday, September 25th, the Santa Ana winds stepped up in velocity, and southern California virtually exploded. On Takati Peak in San Diego County, an abandoned campfire spread rapidly out of control and into Mexico. Almost simultaneously, fires were erupting in every county south of the Tehachemi Mountains. Time after time, spearheads of flame thrust into the residential areas around the city of Ventura. Farther south, the Inferno also grew. Clamphlet, Wright, Casco, Agua Dulce, and in Kern County to the north, Rankin Ranch. These were only a few. Countless other blazes were breaking out simultaneously, but were quickly contained by mutual aid action. By noon of September 25th, it became apparent to all fire agencies that the firefighting forces in southern California were spread dangerously thin. The California disaster plan provides for statewide movement of firefighting equipment and manpower during an emergency declared by the governor. Regional disaster headquarters was established in Los Angeles County, and a mass southward migration of personnel, fire trucks, and aircraft was initiated. But the need continued to grow and multiply. More men, more equipment, more water. Where will it all come from? All of California's wildland areas are under organized fire protection. This protection is furnished primarily by the statewide organization of the California Division of Forestry and the United States Forest Service. Under the California disaster plan, mutual aid agreements and contracts exist between fire protection agencies at every level, from local community and city to federal. The ultimate objective is for fire control equipment and manpower to be available when and where it's needed, without regard to agency jurisdiction. The California Highway Patrol keeps the traffic flowing in areas congested by firefighting equipment, and when necessary, the State Highway Department establishes roadblocks to keep out the sightseers and other extraneous vehicles. Local police and sheriff's departments also assist in traffic control, as well as the evacuation of residents from threatened areas and the maintenance of security in evacuated areas to prevent looting. The Department of Corrections and the California Youth Authority furnish inmates and wards to the Division of Forestry for extensive planned firefighting. These conservation camp crews are the men who get in at ground level and literally confront a fire in hand to hand combat. The California Office of Emergency Services, with its fire apparatus and communications equipment, plays an important role in every major firefighting effort. Private agencies and contractors from the forest industry and other sources perform invaluable services with their own specialized heavy equipment. The armed services contribute massive amounts of communications and transportation equipment, both air and ground. Air attack bases are located throughout the state and accommodate 64 aircraft of various types and capabilities, both fixed wing and helicopter. Some of these aircraft operate under contract with the California Division of Forestry, others with the United States Forest Service, but like nearly all other fire control equipment, they are used interchangeably by either agency as the need arises, and the need was never greater than now. We need additional equipment, fire trucks, conservation camp crews and some air tankers. We're going to try and spread this around the state a little bit, so we'd like to have from you five fire trucks, 10 conservation camp crews. Trucks from as far north as the Oregon border started the long trek down the Central Valley and Coast Highways. Trained Indian crews from out of state were ordered in by the United States Forest Service. The weather was as bad as any seasoned firemen could remember. The fire situation continued to worsen, but clappet fire would start at near New Hall in Los Angeles County had torn through the Santa Susana Chatsworth area, leaving dozens of expensive homes in ashes. Firefighters in this region encountered all of the problems typical of high income residential sections. Narrow substandard roads and great quantities of native vegetation growing close to structures. The right fire had leaked the Coast Highway at Malibu and was stopped at that point only by the Pacific Ocean. Homes on both sides of the highway and up Malibu and Topanga canyons were burning. The Aguadolce blaze northeast of New Hall had already consumed 12,000 acres and was raging out of control in high winds and inaccessible terrain. Air tankers when they were available were often ineffective because of zero visibility through the swirling smoke. High winds kept them on the ground much of the time. North of the Tehachovies in Kern County, another major fire was burning at Rankin Ranch. Manpower and air tankers were at a premium due to the multiple emergencies farther south. By nightfall of the first day, the Rankin Ranch fire had consumed 800 acres and was still gaining speed. Throughout the long night on countless fires, bone weary firemen from hundreds of fire departments shuttled from sector to sector, putting down a flare up, saving a structure only to learn of a new emergency somewhere else. The wind backed off slightly during the night hours and a few words of cautious optimism were heard. 10-4, if we get those low winds, you're predicting we'll be in real good shape. Not in the last 20 minutes or so, Bob, the wind died down. As I say, we're not getting the eddies and little rolls in here. On Saturday, September 26th, sunrise in Southern California was barely visible through dense clouds of smoke and fine wind blown ash. Wind velocity increased again. New fires started and the big ones became bigger. Then came the ominous report of the fire destined to dwarf all the others. Low spinos look out, San Diego. 10-4, take a good look at it. Give us a bearing. 68 degrees, 28 minutes. What is your wind condition? 10-4, San Diego, Claire. Within the first hour, the Laguna Mountain Fire east of San Diego had blackened 60 acres and was roaring west toward the community of Pine Valley. Forest service and local fire department crews started a backfire that temporarily turned the fire away. But driven by the 50 mile an hour wind, a fire storm developed and Pine Valley was again threatened. The village was currently evacuated. Farther north, problems also continued to accelerate. The clamped fire now threatened Moore Park and Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. The Agua Dulce fire was still out of control and more fires were starting in Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and Los Angeles County. The Fork Fire north of the community of Azusa on the San Gabriel River was going strong and eventually covered nearly 3,500 acres before being subdued. Five men perished in a helicopter crash while fighting fire at this location. In Kern County, the Rankin Ranch fire had incinerated 11,000 acres with still no end in sight. Then, to compound that disaster, only a few hilltops away and across the Kern River, the Red Mountain Fire was reported. This further depleted the already inadequate forces on the Rankin Fire. Farther south, an already bad situation was rapidly growing worse. The Laguna Mountain Fire had leaped across interstate Highway 8 and was roaring west on a six mile front at high speed. Area wide equipment and manpower sources were already depleted. Every available pumper and hand crew that could be spared from San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties was dispatched south. Another 300 men were ordered from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Agua Dulce fire had burned into the town of Saugus, where eight homes and one life were lost. The Clamford and White Fires, now united in one vast crackling sea of flames, had covered 60,000 acres and destroyed 150 homes. Four people were burned to death. Two more fires had broken out to the north near the towns of Fillmore and Valverty Park. And at Laguna Mountain, there was no end remotely visible. Driven by the devil wind that never seemed to fall, the fire roared steadily west on a seven mile front. Three more small towns in its path as well as the Los Pinos Forestry Lookout were evacuated for burn to life. Forestry dispatchers were tapping every available source for more men and machines. 25 fire trucks and five dozers. They are to respond immediately to Montevista headquarters 10-4. The United States Forest Service ordered still another thousand out of state firefighters from Arizona and New Mexico. Can you get them started as soon as you can? The wind usually subsides during the night and gives fire crews a chance for a new grip. But not this night. Although it did slacken to 25 miles per hour in spots. By the morning of the 27th, 55,000 acres had gone up in smoke. Then the wind picked up to its daytime velocity of over 50 miles an hour. At this point in time, there were over 100 fire trucks, 55 bulldozers, 600 men and air tankers and helicopters. All fighting doggedly but with no victory in sight. The shortwave repeater station on Lyons Peak burned out and an overworked communication system was further hampered. The fire has overrun the repeaters on both Takati and Lyons. You will have to depend on Quiamaca for your communications now. In Kern county, the Rankin Ranch and Red Mountain fires were still running at full fury. Although Red Mountain crews were starting to establish control with the use of backfires behind Lyons cut by bulldozers. In Los Angeles county, things were looking up slightly. The Agua Dulce fire was mostly contained and firemen on the clamp at right fire were beginning to hold their lines. Although plagued by repeated flare-ups in the canyons. Meantime, more fires had started in Hacienda Heights, Fullerton and Pomona. Valley reports another brush fire of Puma Canyon. They've dispatched engines 151, 152, 264, Cabina Engine 1 and Squad 151. City of Pomona is requested assistance from a brush fire in the Ganesha Hills near San Bernardino Freeway. There was to be no rest for the already weary. Neither was there any rest back in San Diego county. Several new fires sprang up north of the main fire. Fast initial attack by on-the-scene crews extinguished all but one of these fires in less than an hour. But the big Laguna Mountain fire roared on having by now burned 120,000 acres. More homes were lost and more towns evacuated as the all-consuming monster roared into the San Diego suburb of El Cajon. The first priorities in all firefighting efforts are to protect and save lives and property. Firemen on the Laguna Mountain fire were trying their best to do just that. But there was more fire than fighters and houses continued to burn. By the morning of September 28th the burned area was over 150,000 acres in size and the fire had again jumped Interstate 8 to threaten the town of Bisconzo. More men and equipment were arriving from the north and through hard work and determination the flames were stopped short of the town. As the long day wore on the Santa Ana winds were slowing down. The fire lines had begun to hold and for the first time there was a reason for some carefully expressed optimism. We're massing four dozers and six hand crews on this particular segment of the line and with the wind easing slightly we should be able to pick this up in a couple of hours. During the late evening hours the wind decreased still more. Fire line construction speeded up and containment although not accomplished was at least visible on the horizon. But the diabolical forces were still at work. Long before the Laguna embers had stopped smoldering more fires had started in other places. Fire crews, bone tired from 30 or more straight hours on the lines had to be shuttled off to cope with new threats. All but three of the many new fires were quickly contained. In one case by citizen volunteers from the town of Julian armed with anything was at hand. On the Cleveland National Forest north of Laguna the boulder fire destroyed 12,000 acres of timber and brush before being subdued. In the Los Padres National Forest south of Monterey 900 men fought the Buckeye fire for five days in rugged mountainous terrain. Here another 44,000 acres went up in smoke. In Lyttle Creek Canyon north of San Bernardino the Myers fire devastated 34,000 acres of watershed and 10 homes before final containment was achieved and containment does not signal the end of the fire control task. Next comes the mop-up operation putting down minor flare-ups searching out and extinguishing smoldering stumps and logs clearing away brush from the perimeter. The work goes on and on only when there is no spark blowing and no wisp of smoke rising do firemen go home. Yes the fires are finally out and the grim returns are being recorded. 14 lives lost 730 homes burned to the foundation thousands of others damaged. Nearly 600,000 acres of timber and watershed destroyed land now without root structure or protective cover defenseless against erosion floods mudslives and winter rains the million-dollar Sarah religious retreat in Malibu Canyon years in building destroyed in an hour. That the 1970 holocaust was not even larger was due to the skill and efficiency of one of the greatest masses of men in hardware ever mobilized for a campaign fire. A coordinated effort of this magnitude does not come about haphazardly or by accident. In the background are unseen years of planning, negotiation of agreements and intensive training by all fire departments. The possibility of wildfires can never be entirely eliminated but unnecessary fire hazards can and it's never too early to start. The combustible combination of children and matches is one of the most serious problems faced by fire protection agencies today. Fire safety training and education programs should start at the preschool and lower elementary levels. Flammable vegetation along roads around buildings or along power lines can be eliminated or replaced with greenery more resistant to the spread of fire. Flammable roofing material is always receptive to when carried embers and sparks from even a distant fire. This should be borne in mind when drafting zoning and building codes in high fire risk areas. The aftermath of a fire is tragic to contemplate. Droid personal items. The small things. Keepsakes and mementos of many years of living. The add-ons that make the difference between a house and a home. The labor of love in a well manicured lawn with its border of flowers. Now all buried under a layer of ugly gray tashes. In the final analysis nearly all fires are man caused. Most accidentally. Some intentionally. The faulty power line. The careless hunter or camper. The negligent equipment operated. The half crazed arsonists have always been with us. The colossal cost in money manpower and material expended in fighting wildfires will never be eliminated until mankind erects a defense against his most formidable enemy. In cells.