At 1643, an hour after the fire was first
reported, the incident commander requested a county mutual aid response of
two response teams. Each team consisted of three engine companies and a
chief officer. Predetermined response teams are set forth in the county's
mutual aid plan. One additional fire "overhead" member was also requested
at 1643.2 Pacific Grove Fire Chief Charles Wilkins responded with response
team A and proceeded to the incident command post in the gravel pit (see
position F on the map in Appendix A). Chief Wilkins was asked by the
incident commander to act as sector commander for the structural portion of
the fire, which was designated as Sector C. Chief Wilkins established a
sector command post at the intersection of Los Altos Drive and Costanilla
Way. He later said there was some mix-up with the response teams: the
county communications dispatcher of the day was using a draft matrix (or
table) of the response teams on call, and not the matrix which was normally
used. This created confusion and may be one reason why equipment from Fort
Ord was not requested.
Upon arrival at Sector C, Chief Wilkins found at least three engines
from the two response teams already committed with hose lines laid. These
engines had taken up position along Los Altos Drive. At least two of the
engines were connected to 5" lines. The engines set up along Los Altos
Drive were in the direct path of the fire and in a very precarious position
to defend. Action in this area included attempting to stop spot fires and
prevent the spread of the fire up the slope onto Los Altos Drive. Thus
upon his arrival Chief Wilkins was not certain what equipment he had
available, and some of the equipment was already committed. Not all of the
equipment of the response teams had" checked into the staging point, in
addition to the wrong dispatch matrix being used.
At 1708, the incident commander requested two additional water
dropping helicopters. During this time, the two response teams were
setting up on Los Altos Drive and residents in the area were beginning to
water down roofs and areas around their homes. Chief Wilkins later
indicated that the use of water hoses and other measures taken by local
residents did not seem to impair the water supply at this time.
At 1713, the incident commander requested water tenders for the
engines located along the gravel haul road. The tenders carried between
2,000 and 3,000 gallons of water. Water supply still was not a problem
with the response teams located along Los Altos Drive in Sector C.
At 1721, the Monterey County Dispatchers called the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to ask about the possibility of
evacuation for the residential area. According to Art McDole, County
Emergency Operations Coordinator, they,were advised there were no plans for
evacuation at that time. Mr. McDole indicated that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection was called due to the fact that
so many calls were being received from citizens in the area.
At 1841, a request for a County mutual aid strike team was made. A
strike team consisting of five engine companies with chief officers as
leaders was sent to Sector C to work in the residential area. Chief
Wilkins indicated that there were still some problems with keeping track of
resources, as some members of the strike team got separated en route to the
fire and some did not check into the staging point for the sector. Chief
Wilkins also indicated that unfamiliarity with the area by the strike team
members and the confusing layout of the roads in the residential area
probably added to the confusion of the incoming response and strike team
members. Street signs in the area are on small wooden posts and are
nonreflective.
Next » Evacuation Starts
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