More Firefighters Needed, Study Says

Of the 20 largest documented fires in California’s history, half of them have occurred since 2000. The success of an initial attack operation can significantly influence the ultimate outcome of a wildfire event, and thus places an extraordinary burden and expectation on emergency responders.

A major goal of firefighting agencies is to keep 95 percent of wildfires at 10 acres or less. Achieving this goal with ever-tightening resources is the purpose of a new San Diego State University study discussed at a news conference held on campus today.

The 2010 California Wildfire Staffing Study found that the ability to effectively and economically control wildfires in California depends on the state’s capacity to provide adequate firefighter staffing.

This study, led by Matt Rahn, director of research and education at the SDSU College of Sciences' Field Stations Programs, is the result of a report published in July 2009 about the true economic impact of wildfires. Representatives from several of the region's firefighting agencies joined Rahn to discuss the study's findings.

The cost of wildfires

“Wildfires result in billions of dollars of lost and damaged property, open space and infrastructure,” Rahn said. “Adding a single firefighter to an engine will save money by saving time, property and, most importantly, lives.”

According to the study, “the success of the California wildland firefighting community depends upon aggressive initial attack and response.”

Small changes make huge impacts

By increasing the number of personnel on an individual hose lay, the efficiency, effectiveness and overall ability to potentially control a wildfire are significantly increased. Changing the staffing from two to just three firefighters on an attack can increase efficiency by as much as 50 percent and is the most cost-effective and beneficial change recommended. This translates to a recommended change from three to four persons per engine, which can dramatically increase efficiency and effectiveness.

In analyzing the economic impact staffing changes could potentially have on the state, the study found that increasing staffing could potentially save millions of dollars annually.

Savings realized

“If the devastating 2003 wildfire's amount of acreage burned in San Diego County were decreased by only one percent, the region could have experienced an economic savings of between $25,000,000 to $250,000,000,” Rahn said.

The report is significant because while the number of wildfires kept below 10 acres over the last decade has remained relatively unchanged, the total number of fire events and the number of extremely large fires has dramatically increased statewide.

SDSU Study: More firefighters will save the state money - CBS 8 News

Study: Increased Fire Staffing May Save State money - KGTV Channel 10 News