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Although Utah hasn't had any major wildfires yet, the air outside sure looks like it. That's because there are more than 320 active wildfires burning in California, and that state needs as much firefighting help as possible. One Utah team is getting ready to go to help in a different way.
For the past 12 years, Jack Sheffey, with the Bureau of Land Management(BLM), has been making maps. And each and every one is more important than any map you can buy in a store.
Sheffey is the geographical information systems mapmaker for the BLM. He's also on the fire team being called to California this weekend to help put out the state's second most pressing wildfire.
The American River Complex Fire, about 2 hours West of Reno, has burned some 10,000 acres and is getting bigger.
It's Sheffey's job to make sure fire crews know where to go, where the fires are and what the lay of the land is.
Today's technology allows him to do so, right at the fire camp. He says, "Ten years ago, you would not be taking this capability right out to the fire camp. It was just not feasible to do that."
Kathy Jo Pollack, with the U.S. Forest Service, has been called to the fire too. She'll serve as media coordinator. She says, "We know we'll be there 14 days, if not 21."
She and Sheffey are part of what's called a Type 1 fire team, which basically means more fire crews with background expertise like management, public information and maps.
This particular Utah crew won't be actually fighting the fire, but they will be helping those who are fighting the fire. "It's a vital aspect of our safety for the firefighters," Sheffey says.
The team says they were given notice they'll leave Friday night.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
