Just before the Turner Gulch Fire ignited, the Grand Junction Fire Department deployed a wildland team to California on a severity assignment in the Plumas National Forest. The crew, consisting of an Engine Boss, crew, and a Type 3 engine, was tasked with providing initial attack capabilities for any new fire starts on U.S. Forest Service land.
When the Turner Gulch Fire began, we began coordinating a crew swap to bring our personnel back home to support firefighting efforts here. After completing their 14-day deployment, our team returned yesterday. Our Type 6 engine remains in California and will be restaffed by a new crew, a practice that avoids unnecessary equipment transport while maintaining operational readiness.
Currently, all local wildland assignments for the Turner Gulch Fire are fully staffed. However, fire conditions in California remain critical, and a new GJFD crew will soon redeploy to continue supporting suppression efforts in the Plumas National Forest.
When GJFD crews are deployed outside our service area, the department is reimbursed for both personnel and equipment costs. These deployments not only provide vital assistance to partner agencies but also offer valuable training and experience that our crews bring back, enhancing our capabilities here at home.
We are actively managing our wildland response capacity to ensure our community remains protected. Even when GJFD resources are deployed to assist elsewhere, we maintain sufficient staffing and equipment locally to ensure continuity. Currently, we have both a Type 3 and a Type 6 wildland engine available to respond immediately to any new incidents in our area.
Our ability to support state and national deployments is directly tied to the availability of certified Engine Bosses. Of our usual complement of four, two are currently unavailable due to injury, which temporarily limits our ability to assist with fires outside of our service area.
We’re proud to serve not just our community, but the broader region. Just as other departments have answered the call to help here in Mesa County, we remain committed to supporting wildfire operations across the country when needed.